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Principal Lori Massey details safety-first approach and new collaborative teaching practices at Story and Jennings
Summary
Lori Massey, principal at Story and Jennings, told the Haddon Township School District board about a focus on safety and kindness, expanded small-group instruction, teacher collaboration through shared resources and instructional rounds, and recognition programs to build staff and student engagement.
Lori Massey, principal at Story and Jennings, told the Haddon Township School District board she has prioritized safety, teacher collaboration and instructional innovation since taking the role.
"Safety is always number 1," Massey said, describing a building theme she calls ZAC (safety and kindness). She outlined building-level practices including locked doors and regular drills, monthly kindness assemblies, and a monthly newsletter she calls "Massey's Minute" to keep staff and families informed.
Massey said improving academic outcomes begins with supporting teachers. She described a district-shared Google Doc of classroom resources, regular teacher collaboration meetings, and voluntary instructional rounds that let teachers observe new practices such as "floating thinking" classrooms, which center group problem-solving and student explanation of reasoning. "They're problem solving. They are showing their reasoning," she said, linking the approach to addressing weaker reasoning scores on the district's NJSLA math results.
She described classroom-level accountability for independent work and increased small-group time for targeted instruction: "I don't want to see busy work. I want to see engagement," Massey said, adding that the district's next round of observations will focus on small-group math instruction.
Massey also summarized staff-recognition efforts — weekly "Fun Friday" phone calls to celebrate students, a "Hug and a Mug" staff treat program and a door-decorating contest — framed as ways to build morale and retention. She said teachers requested and organized a voluntary book club this summer to explore new instructional approaches; several teachers later asked for formal observations as they implemented the techniques.
Board members praised the principal's work and asked for examples; Massey recounted visiting preschool classrooms and reading to students as an illustration of her engagement with school culture. Superintendent (title used as in the meeting) and board members commended teachers for embracing the practices and for the administration’s coaching support.
The presentation concluded with the board thanking Massey and noting they would hear additional building-level reports in May.
