Her Story
About Jaimie
Jaimie PageHodge serves as an elementary school principal in Watts, California. She grew up in Los Angeles and attended the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies before earning her BA in Film Studies with a minor in English from UC Santa Barbara. After initially planning to pursue law, she began teaching in Compton Unified and later served as an instructional coach, intervention coordinator, EL coach, and technology instructional technology facilitator. She earned her master's in school administration and admin credential from Cal State Northridge, then worked as an assistant principal for three years at an elementary school and subsequently at a middle school before assuming her current principal role. PageHodge attributes her success to resilience and flexibility, noting her ability to pivot and navigate situations such as parent concerns, student issues, and teacher needs. She values being a strong instructional leader professionally and prioritizes her family and boys in her personal life, emphasizing the importance of separating work from home. Among her notable achievements, she hosted a visit from Mayor Bass to observe her school's cooking program.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jaimie
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes from resilience and flexibility. I know how to pivot and navigate different situations, whether it's a parent concern, a student situation, or a teacher concern, and stay resilient during challenging times.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received is to learn when to turn off the principal role and be mommy, be supportive at home. Another principal told me I really need to learn how to turn off work, focus on home, and focus on myself and my health.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to women entering this industry would be to remember to put themselves first. If you're tapped out or worn out and worn down, you can't be all that you can to your family, or the students, or the school community that you serve.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
This past school year had quite a bit of challenges, including working with staff who are not willing to have a voice and wanting things to be more accommodating for the teacher, as well as managing school budget cuts to meet the needs of the school site.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, my family and my boys are most important. I want to make sure my boys have memories of their mom being the best mom and don't feel neglected because of work. Professionally, being a strong instructional leader is key.
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