Locality
Hanover County
Occupation
Educator
Biography
In 2011 Jamelle Smith Wilson became the 12th superintendent of schools for Hanover County Public Schools, a district that currently serves almost 20,000 students. She began her career as a high school English teacher and since that time has been a curriculum specialist, assistant principal, and principal. She was assistant superintendent for Instructional Leadership in Hanover from 2003 to 2011.
A native of Spotsylvania, Wilson was the first in her family to attend a four-year university. She has been an educator since earning her master’s degree in teaching from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia in 1991. She later earned a master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1998 and a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia in 2002. She has dedicated her career to ensuring that all her students—particularly the underserved and underrepresented—are exposed to meaningful educational opportunities. During her tenure, the Hanover school system has maintained its reputation for excellence by exceeding core subject and graduation benchmarks for full accreditation based on the Virginia Department of Education’s Standards of Learning test results.
Wilson is a passionate supporter of the community development work of the Greater Richmond YMCA and chairs its board. She also serves on the board of governors for the International Baccalaureate, an advanced educational curriculum offered at Hanover County’s high schools that aspires to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
2015 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honoree, Library of Virginia and Dominion.
Watch Dr. Jamelle Wilson's speech at the 2015 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History awards ceremony on February 4, 2015.
A native of Spotsylvania, Wilson was the first in her family to attend a four-year university. She has been an educator since earning her master’s degree in teaching from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia in 1991. She later earned a master’s in English from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1998 and a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia in 2002. She has dedicated her career to ensuring that all her students—particularly the underserved and underrepresented—are exposed to meaningful educational opportunities. During her tenure, the Hanover school system has maintained its reputation for excellence by exceeding core subject and graduation benchmarks for full accreditation based on the Virginia Department of Education’s Standards of Learning test results.
Wilson is a passionate supporter of the community development work of the Greater Richmond YMCA and chairs its board. She also serves on the board of governors for the International Baccalaureate, an advanced educational curriculum offered at Hanover County’s high schools that aspires to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
2015 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History honoree, Library of Virginia and Dominion.
Watch Dr. Jamelle Wilson's speech at the 2015 Strong Men and Women in Virginia History awards ceremony on February 4, 2015.
File Citation(s)
Image Courtesy of Jamelle Smith Wilson.