Principal's Message

Greetings Scholars, Parents, Families, Faculty, Community Based Partners and the Wings Academy High School Community at Large,

As a transformational leader, it is with great esteem and gratitude that I write this message to you. I am honored and extremely excited to introduce myself as the High School Principal appointed to lead Wings Academy High School.  Welcome to our virtual space!  This space is meant to be a resource for updates, information community resources and a place to showcase our Wingsnation Pride!

As I transition to the role of appointed High School Principal and continue to learn more about all of you, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself. This is my 17^th year working in the NYC Department of Education. Prior to joining the NYCDOE in 2008 as a HS Math Teaching Fellow, I spent 15 years working in Corporate America as a Financial Professional.  When I became a HS Math Teacher it was truly a transcendental period in my life. I worked at several schools in the Bronx and Manhattan and became a Teacher Leader and Instructional Coach. In 2017, I became an Assistant Principal in District 07 in the Bronx. In 2019, I was assigned to Wings Academy HS and became appointed Principal in 2022. I am so proud to serve you as your School Leader.

My vision is to serve as a transformational leader in the promotion of academic excellence, civic readiness, and emotional intelligence in a student-centered, safe, and collaborative learning environment.  My mission is to make certain that our educators, families, and community members work in concert with one another to ensure that each of our scholars have access and opportunities to achieve optimal success - as they so rightfully deserve.  I am driven by the desire to see each and every scholar win by pursuing their passions and fulfilling their purposes.

I know the value of hard work, an education and lifelong learning. I hold a Bachelor of Business Administration in Public Accounting from Iona College; a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College; a Master of Science in Teaching from Pace University and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Administration from the College of Saint Rose. I received my Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. My Dissertation topic is the Perceptions of Academic Resiliency.  One of my most inspirational educational quotes by Nelson Mandela is “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” I am a firm believer that children lead the way for not only their future but for society’s future as well. This is why I became an educator, leaving the boardroom for the classroom, to shape the minds of today’s generation. I am a proud mother of two daughters ages 31 and 22.  As a mother, I believe in doing whatever it takes for our children to succeed. I am looking forward to working with you all as we “Change the Narrative” of Wings Academy HS. 

Our Motto is Wings Academy HS – “Where We S.O.A.R to Achieve Our C.O.R.E”.  Our scholars will Seek, Obtain, and Attain their Rightful place in society as they work towards college, career and civic readiness. In addition, our CORE values have been re-imagined which include: Citizenship, Optimism, Resilience and Empowerment. We will continue to empower our scholars to use their voices. During my first month as Acting Principal, I held town halls for all grades with my message focused on school safety, academics, attendance and citizenship.  We needed to remind our scholars that WE are a community of learners and we will come together as a community to discuss students’ needs and the needs of our school periodically. Our scholars also let us know what they want in a school community. In addition, I was honored to have Borough President Vanessa Gibson as our keynote speaker for our June 2022 Commencement Ceremony. As she stated, “This journey at Wings Academy HS will propel you to your next journey in life.” In keeping with our District Vision, If each student is valued and respected in a culturally responsive environment where they receive the specific strategic support they need in high school, then they can be successful in college/career/civic readiness. Like our District, this vision is the driver of our work.

Our scholars must graduate from high school with rigorous academic experiences and social development skills necessary to pursue and achieve their goals and dreams. I look forward to welcoming each and every one of you to the 2024-2025 school year with a series of Open Houses for our new 9^th grade class and Back to School Orientation sessions for our 10^th, 11^th and 12^th grade classes in July and September.  I can be reached via email at mjackson21@schools.nyc.gov. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

In Partnership,

Dr. Monique Jackson-Dickens "Dr. JD"

Principal

Wings Academy High School