STEM adds new dean of students
Jul. 12—A longtime teacher of math and science, Jacob Green is moving to the role of dean of students at STEM Academy.
As dean of students, Green will handle discipline, attendance and anything involving students relations such as field trips and extracurricular activities.
"The main thing is trying to build relationships with students and be able to be there for them and be their point of contact as an administrator," Green said.
Green has been teaching at STEM for four years.
"(I) just really enjoy the school. My kids go here and I just felt that I could make more of an impact across the school in this position," he added.
Green said he was making an impact as a teacher, but feels he can make more of a positive change as dean of students.
"The main goals that I'm looking at are just trying to develop more of a team atmosphere and bringing the grade levels together more rather than having it split by elementary and secondary," Green said.
He said it's not as united a team as they could be. Since they are doing project-based learning, there's a lot of opportunity for grade-level cooperation.
"We have the opportunity to be a really cohesive and seamless transition into that secondary level, but most people just don't have that opportunity and we need to take advantage of that," Green said.
This also helps student performance as say Calculus I students had a chance to tutor Algebra I students.
"In the process of them helping bring those algebra students up and get their skills higher, that built their skills from teaching. One of the fastest ways to learn is to teach because if you can teach it you really understand it. If you try to teach it, that just drives your understanding even higher," Green said.
Originally from Hallsville in East Texas, Green earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in natural science with an emphasis in math education from Stephen F. Austin University.
Initially, Green was going to be an engineer, but he started working with the tutoring center at SFA.
"In the process of doing that, I got to just loving the moving around, the talking, the light that comes on in people's eyes whenever they all of a sudden figure it out. I just fell in love with it, so I became a teacher," he said.
He taught for five years at small schools in East Texas.
"Then my wife got pregnant and wanted to stay at home ... She's also a teacher. We moved out here. I worked as an engineer in the oilfield for six years. I worked at Halliburton and then I worked (at) a drill bit company, both times as an engineer. Then whenever COVID happened, I ended up getting furloughed and then eventually laid off because the work just didn't come back quick enough. In that time of being furloughed, I'd already applied here and gotten the position and was ready to go before they had even officially laid me off," he added.
It turned out to be a blessing.
"That was one of those situations where people were like, oh, I'm so sorry, I heard you got laid off, and I was like what are you talking about? This is probably the greatest thing that's happened to me. I'm back to doing what I love," Green said.
He and his wife, Anansa, a math professor at Midland College, have two boys.
Having taught at small public schools, Green said he's found STEM is much the same.
"Its size is really nice and the students are amazing. I've seen things here that I just wouldn't have believed before. ... I'm a real big fan of project-based learning. ... A lot of it is student-led and student-driven. They really like to take charge, which is great and I just love to watch them learn and be part of it," Green said.
Although he'll be a dean, he'll still be popping into classrooms, visiting with students and building relationships.
He noted that he's really excited about his new post.
"I think it's going to be hard to let go and watch somebody else step in and take over my spot. ... But I'm still here. I'm still able to help that person and still talk to students. So I think it'll be fine," he added.
Amy Anderson is moving over to be dean of teaching and learning. She had been the AVID director for Ector County ISD.
"We are excited to have Jacob Green serve as the STEM Academy's Dean of Students. Jacob has been an important member of our community for many years as the former high school chemistry and physics teacher, as well as a parent of two students here at STEM," Executive Director Shannon Davidson said.
"He is now stepping into a leadership role that includes student supports. He will focus on fostering a strong and supportive culture for our students. Jacob is very well respected by his peers and students. He is known for his creative and quick problem solving abilities, as well as his amazing spreadsheets. He brings many talents and new ideas to our team," Davidson added.
The school has not had deans before. The reorganization came about because they are a kindergarten through 12th grade school on a university campus.
"Our needs are very unique and we want a clear pipeline all the way from kinder to 12. With that, it makes sense to model after the university style of leadership with deans overseeing each of those different avenues. Having a dean of students that oversees all things students, student supports. The number one goal in the dean of students is, of course, culture building, and helping the students in all avenues of that, and then teaching and learning and giving the teachers all the supports that they need, as far as teaching and instruction. Having that continuity throughout K through 12, that one voice for each of those areas and the consistency throughout all the way from kinder all the way up to 12th," Davidson said.
