Jennifer Leposa, Ed.D.
Dr. Jennifer Leposa is an experienced educational leader currently serving as Interim Principal at Lincoln Charter School in York, Pennsylvania, where she oversees K–6 instructional programming and school operations. In her leadership role, she works closely with teachers and staff, engages with students and families daily, and maintains a strong presence in classrooms to observe learning and support instructional practices. She also coordinates with stakeholders across the school community to ensure alignment between academic goals and student support systems. With a career in education spanning since 2015, Dr. Leposa brings over a decade of experience in instructional leadership, curriculum development, and school improvement. Prior to her current role, she served in leadership capacities including Assistant Principal and has contributed to professional learning and development work within the School District of Philadelphia. Her work reflects a consistent focus on strengthening teaching practice, supporting educators, and addressing both academic and social-emotional needs of students. Dr. Leposa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and principal certification. She recently completed her Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration at Point Park University. Her professional approach emphasizes hands-on leadership in classrooms, collaboration with staff and families, and fostering positive school environments that support student growth and well-being.
• Pre-K to 4 Instructional Certification
• Pre-K to 8 Special Education Certification
• Principal Certification
• Point Park University - Ed.D.
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to several things. Being a mother, I have no option but to succeed and be successful, and to show my children what hard work looks like and what the result is of hard work. When I had my oldest in college while getting my bachelor's degree, the odds were stacked against me, and people, even as close as family members, felt and communicated that I wouldn't be successful. To see, you know, 12 years later, not only did I finish that degree, I've gone on to get other degrees and certifications, and I'm a principal of a school. That hard work pays off. You don't give up. You keep persevering through any obstacle that comes your way.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Honestly, one of the best pieces of career advice I ever received is never forgetting what it's like to be in the classroom. The reality of what teachers face, and as I've stepped into my leadership journey, never forgetting what it really is like to be in a classroom with kids, trying to educate them, trying to meet all of their needs, and taking that with me as I strive to make the best decisions possible to serve the students and school community.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise young women entering education to find your group of people, your support system, and hold on to it, because the work is hard. Working in education, it's oftentimes a thankless job, especially in our society today. Find the people that continue to motivate you and encourage you and inspire you to do more and be more, and to just keep pushing the ceiling higher, keep pushing the boundaries, and exceed expectations.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges in education right now is adequate funding to really meet the needs of our students. So many of our students, whether you want to contribute it to COVID, disparities across communities, and other barriers, the academic deficits that our students possess in across the state and the country, didn't happen overnight, and it's due to the systemic barriers that society has in place. We need to make sure that we're actually preparing students for life. That means there's adequate funding for the mental health needs of our students and the social-emotional needs of our students. Students need to have experiences that are going to prepare them to be the adults of tomorrow, no matter where you're at, what city, what town you live in, in a society that is, in large part, on fire right now. How do we fix that? We fix that by fixing our schools and putting in place the things that need to be put in place so that the next generation can thrive and survive in this world.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
One of my the most important values is loyalty, both professionally and personally, and with loyalty, trust and collaboration. Lastly, both professionally and personally, a positive mindset. I don't want to be around people that don't bring out the best of me and bring out the best of everyone around. Even when life is hard, you pick yourself up and keep going.
Locations
Lincoln Charter School
York, PA 17402