Nedjra Russell named Administrator of West Madison Pre-Kindergarten Center

MADISON – People sometimes experience a full circle with their career’s jobs. Nedjra Russell has met one example of this career path.

Recently, Madison Board of Education selected Russell as Administrator of West Madison Pre-Kindergarten Center. Early in her career, one of Russell’s first jobs was working for the Child Development Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, east of Dayton, Ohio.

After Wright-Patterson, Russell served as a specialist at Redstone Child Development Center. In 2013, she started working as a lead teacher at Madison City School Pre-Kindergarten Center from 2012 to 2021.

For one year, Russell next served as the Madison Aspiring Assistant Principal or MAAP at Rainbow Elementary School. Since December 2021, she has been working as Assistant Principal at Rainbow.

“My goals are to support the principal, Sharon Nicole Phillips, and staff in providing developmentally appropriate instruction for some of our youngest students,” Russell said about her new position.

In exercising her teaching philosophy, Russell has committed “to meet students where they are developmentally as a cursor to help them grow and develop. There are many factors that influence a student’s developmental needs, and it’s important to attend to those needs.”

“As for discipline, I believe children learn best through examples and from teachable moments,” Russell said. “It’s also important that they know and understand expectations and the consequences for not meeting (those expectations).”

In working with her young students, Russell has found successes with the personal relationships that she has developed with students. “Academics are important, but relationships are the cornerstone to those,” she said.

“When I learned of my new position, my first thoughts were sorrow about not seeing students this coming school year that I’ve grown to know and love,” Russell said.

Her husband Anthony Russell works for Intuitive Research & Technology Corporation. “We have been married for 44 years, have four adult children (Anthony II, Nathan, Alyssia and Nevin) and two amazing grandchildren. Anthony II and Nevin live in Huntsville. Nathan and his family live in Smyrna Tenn., and Alyssis lives in Franklin, Tenn.,” Nedjra Russell said.

One fact that most people don’t know about her is that Russell loves interior design. “Maybe that will be my next career!” she said. “I also love learning. I’m currently pursuing my education specialist degree with a concentration in instructional leadership.”

When she finds free time during her busy schedule, Russell enjoys pursuing several hobbies. “I love quilting, cooking, baking, reading, gardening and traveling,” she said.