At Tuesday evening’s regular meeting of the Board of Education, members voted unanimously to name Jillian Zuber as the new principal of Carolyn Lewis School. Acting Principal, Marion Baird, Executive Director of Leadership and School Support (Elementary Schools), will continue to lead the school until Zuber joins the Loggerheads on January 29.
“I could not be more excited for the Carolyn Lewis School staff, students, and families to be introduced to such a dynamic, experienced leader,” said BCSD Superintendent Dr. Anthony Dixon. “Ms. Zuber comes from one of the largest school divisions in the United States with 199 schools and centers. She has demonstrated success in leading the learning of largely diverse student populations to notable achievement, while growing a positive school climate and improving community relations. She will be an asset to CLS and BCSD.”
Before joining the district administration at FCPS, Zuber led Forest Edge Elementary as the principal from October 2019 to September 2023. During that time, Forest Edge experienced multi-faceted student success including, but not limited to, the closing of achievement gaps in science for all subgroups; maintaining the highest performance and passage rate of all Title 1 Schools in FCPS by integrating STEAM outdoor learning and cultivating curriculum development for problem-based learning in science; and reducing the number of students two grade levels or below from 86% to 22%.
In 2020 and 2021, Zuber was recognized by the Virginia Department of Education with awards for closing achievement gaps in Science and Mathematics, and, by FCPS, as the 2023 Continuous Improvement Leader in Reading/English Language Learners.
“Becoming the Principal at Carolyn Lewis School is an opportunity to lead in the spirit of Carolyn Lewis herself - with an unwavering devotion to students, innovation, and strategic planning,” said Zuber. “My aim is to honor her legacy by championing the same passion for education and commitment to students' success.”
Zuber received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Science and her M.Ed. from James Madison University. In 2008, she began her career in education as middle school social studies teacher at Key Middle, and went on to serve as an elementary and middle school instructional coach at Daniels Run Elementary and Poe Middle School. Zuber supported the Forest Edge Elementary administration as the assistant principal from 2015-2019, when she was named Principal. Most recently, she served FCPS district as the Special Project Administrator Strategy, Planning and Learning.
Zuber added, “Aligned with Berkeley County's visionary future, my personal philosophy stands rooted in dedication to the success of every child and extends to supporting families. I aim to not just serve the greater community but also foster a collaborative environment where families, alongside educators, nurture the potential of our children, cultivating a future where every individual thrives.”