As part of National Arts in Education Week, and as a result of the Cathedral Arts Project’s work with UNF’s Florida Data Science for Social Good (FL-DSSG) Program and external data from the Florida Department of Education, we’re thrilled to recognize the following principals as the 2026 Principals of the Arts:
JJ Brown of San Pablo Elementary School
Ryan Casey of Julia Landon College Preparatory Middle School
Kimberly M. Dennis, M.Ed., of Fishweir Elementary School of the Arts
Through the arts, these principals have adopted creative approaches to immerse students in hands-on, real-world learning, brought families and communities closer together and driven meaningful academic success.
We’d like to celebrate and share their creative strategies from the rooftops, and congratulate them for their well-deserved recognition.
Principal JJ Brown, San Pablo Elementary School
Principal JJ Brown
Principal Brown and the San Pablo Elementary School community’s commitment to the arts is apparent in their vibrant annual calendar. She’s particularly proud of Arts Night, which engages families with student performances and visual artwork, and features a unique collaborative component.
“We have an Arts Night each year called Starry Nights. A piece of artwork is displayed for all students; families are invited to view the museum. Our Kindergarten students draw a picture of a monster, then Art students at Fletcher High then create that vision in clay. They are displayed together at Starry Nights,” Brown said. “Each grade level has a performance where they each sing a song in our courtyard. It is a wonderful experience.”
Brown also listed many more ways the school demonstrates the value it places on the arts, including:
- hosting a spring talent show and Cultural Arts Day each year
- incorporating student art as part of the school library’s displays and the school board building
- organizing annual author and illustrator visits
- ensuring that student artists, musicians and performers are recognized in the yearly awards assembly
- hiring local artists to add beauty to some of the campus buildings and the backboards of the basketball hoops
She even took matters into her own hands, learning to operate the school’s stage lighting and sound systems.
But Brown didn’t make all this happen alone, she wants you to know. She made sure to point out that the school’s music teacher writes, scores and produces the annual school musical, and that the volunteers, PTA and Friends of San Pablo organization support each event. Her pride in her staff and students is apparent.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have top notch resource teachers that support the Arts Education program at San Pablo,” she said. “Our Art and Music teachers use technology and hands on learning to bring the arts to life. They are innovative and passionate about bringing arts education to our young learners.”
“I do my best to provide resources when I can, and I show up to each event to support the teachers and students. I then do my best to get out of their way and let them do what they do best.”
Principal Ryan Casey, Julia Landon College Preparatory Middle School
Principal Casey (second from right) with two of JLCP’s speech and debate state champions (center) superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier (right)
At Julia Landon College Prep (JLCP), the arts are a part of daily life. The school’s arts-integrated approach empowers students to take an active role in their education and their future.
“By making the arts an integral part of our school culture, from classroom instruction to performances, exhibits, competitions, and cultural events, we ensure that arts education remains an important part of the Landon experience,” said Principal Casey. “These experiences allow students to connect the arts with culture, history, leadership, and academic learning while developing confidence and creativity.”
Building confidence and leadership is incredibly important in middle school. Casey points to an example of this value in action: the addition of a theatre program at the request of the school community.
“Our curricular initiatives have shifted based on the students’ interests and staff specialties over the years. One program that comes to mind is our shift from a super strong visual arts elective to now creating and developing a theatre program to match the needs and wants of our students and staff,” Casey said. “With much thought and creativity, the development of this program has launched a brand-new peak of interest, skill-building opportunity, and outlet for our students that they have not had in this way before.”
Casey also points to the school’s efforts to connect the students with the local high schools through the arts, making the transition from middle to high school a little easier. “Our outstanding band director works closely with our feeder high schools to build up the talent and skills of our students, to then send them off to high school interested and already familiar with the band directors to support the continuation of the programs,” he said. “Our students enter band with different levels of experience and interest and are able to explore the best fit instrument for them throughout their time at Landon.”
“We celebrate artistic achievement throughout the year by providing students with opportunities to perform, exhibit, compete, and be recognized for their creativity,” he continued. “We recognize and celebrate our arts teachers as well for the creativity, expertise, and opportunities they bring to our students. … Even though we are a magnet school for leadership and college prep, we make sure that our learners have opportunities to shine in many different ways.”
Kimberly M. Dennis, M.Ed., Fishweir Elementary School of the Arts
Principal Kimberly Dennis (front, right) introduces students at Fishweir’s Spring Showcase
At Fishweir Elementary School of the Arts, students are quite literally active in the arts from the time they start kindergarten.
“Our innovative curricular initiative provides students in Kindergarten through 5th grade with meaningful exposure to multiple areas of the arts. For students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, classroom teachers implement standards-aligned lessons in dance, drama, visual arts, and creative writing,” explained Principal Dennis. “For students in 3rd through 5th grade, our Arts in Action program provides 45 minutes of dedicated arts instruction every Friday. During this time, students work directly with their respective arts-area instructors in their chosen arts discipline. This provides students with more focused instruction and opportunities to develop their skills, creativity, and artistic expression.”
Fishweir staff are encouraged to grow their skills as well, with arts integration being a key component in their professional development.
“Teachers are given strategies, resources, and guidance that enable them to effectively integrate the arts into classroom instruction and daily learning activities,” Dennis said. “By building teachers’ capacity and confidence to incorporate the arts across the curriculum, we create a school-wide culture where arts education is not limited to individual arts classes, but becomes an ongoing part of the student learning experience.”
The school’s community is an important part of these initiatives, too. Students get the chance to share with their families at two annual showcases, one in winter and one in spring. And during the annual end-of-year awards ceremony, the community recognizes teachers as well as students for their achievements.
“Teachers are acknowledged for their dedication and contributions, which includes awarding certificates, recognition and monetary gifts provided through our Friends of Fishweir Elementary organization,” said Dennis. “We also engage families by celebrating and showcasing student accomplishments and encouraging their support and participation in our school’s arts experiences.”
“These celebrations help create a culture that values creativity, recognizes hard work, and encourages both students and teachers to continue growing and excelling in the arts,” Dennis continued. “This approach supports Fishweir Elementary School of the Arts’ commitment to integrating the arts into the learning experience and ensuring that every student has meaningful opportunities to grow both academically and creatively.”
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