Dr. Jo Ann Cason

Dr. Jo Ann Cason is the newly appointed head of school for the Hyde Leadership Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. A native of Baltimore, she graduated magna cum laude from Coppin State College in 1980, received a master's degree from Towson State University in 1993, and earned a doctorate in urban education and leadership from Morgan State University in 1997. She began a distinguished 12-year teaching career in Baltimore City Schools and served as an assistant principal at an elementary and middle school. She moved on to serve in Baltimore City Schools as the interim director of the News Schools Initiative, a central office position that was responsible for monitoring and supervising "charter like" new and wholly new schools in Baltimore City. Dr. Cason has had two different principalships with Baltimore City and was recognized in both cases for "significant" increase in student achievement. Dr. Cason has also served as a principal with the Edison Partnership Schools for six years at Gilmor Edison. During her 6-year principalship, Gilmor Edison Elementary Junior Academy twice won Edison’s highest "Double Four Star School" award. Dr. Cason has also been recognized nationally in the Education Week’s November 2005 issue for her work in leadership team development. As the newly appointed head of schools for Hyde DC, Dr, Cason has accepted the challenge to help lead effective efforts in the submersion of character development with accelerated student achievement. Dr. Cason is passionate about students; in her words, "Children are precious and deserve every opportunity available to succeed."