School Type
Jefferson County Public Schools, CO
Education
Ed.D. Educational Leadership,
M.S.Ed. Urban Education,
University of Pennsylvania
Administrative Certification,
Philadelphia Pathways to Leadership in Urban Schools (PhillyPLUS)
B.A. Education,
University of Michigan
Tom Szczesny
Principal, Powderhorn Elementary School
Jefferson County Public Schools, Colorado
2020 Neubauer Fellow
“I serve as a principal because I believe in the possibility of young people to change the world for the better. I love waking up each day with the opportunity to support my teachers in helping my students realize their vast potential and understand how they can make positive difference.”
Tom serves as the principal of Powderhorn Elementary School in Jefferson County, Colorado. Prior to this role he served as the principal of James Dobson Elementary School from 2018 – 2020. Under his leadership, Dobson gained a 7.7% increase in English Language Arts (ELA) and of 3.4% in Math on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA). Additionally, James Dobson Elementary School increased 10% on the School Progress Report (SPR). Tom also worked with the Friends of Dobson to execute a $25,000 Schuylkill Center grant to build an outdoor learning area.
Tom has been an educator since 2009. Prior to becoming a principal, Tom served as a teacher, teacher mentor, teaching assistant and graduate research assistant, contextual learning coordinator and assistant principal. Tom grew up in Bloomfield, MI.