Takoma Park Elementary School principal Dr. Zadia Gadsden has been recognized as this year’s Washington Post Principal of the Year.
Dr. Gadsden was among 16 finalists chosen for their exceptional work and dedication to students.
According to MCPS, Dr. Gadsden is held in high regard as a leader at her school and is known for her steadfast dedication to the triumph of her students and staff. She has fostered a culture of teamwork, cooperation, and collective accountability for education and growth throughout the school.
Before becoming a principal, she worked as a special education teacher for a decade.
“In the 20 years Gadsden has been principal at Takoma Park, she has continually moved the school forward by putting innovative ideas into action,” MCPS said in a press release. “She redefined the Takoma Park magnet program to focus on enriched math instruction and an enhanced STEM program. She has routinely supported events that promote student success, including Books and Breakfast, where the school provides breakfast coupled with a read-aloud and corresponding book for families to take home, and community events, such as Bilingualism Is My Superpower, sessions held in apartment buildings near the school to engage non-English speaking parents.
“As the longest serving principal in the Montgomery Blair cluster, Gadsden is skilled at listening, especially for difficult conversations. Her door is always open, and she hosts on-demand town halls when she hears concerns from the parent community that need to be addressed. Parents say her responses are always informative, respectful and thoughtful.
“She works to make the school community caring and inclusive for all. She knows everything going on within the school and is always willing to step in whenever assistance is needed—you can find her leading a class, working lunch duty, cleaning up a hallway spill or covering prekindergarten nap time. She developed a jobs program for second graders, allowing them to choose from delivering mail, serving on flag duty, caring for the environment, or being a junior principal advisor and helping her read the morning announcements.”
One parent said there were multiple examples of Gadsden being “an extraordinary person who seems to handle a very demanding job with complete competence and grace,” MCPS said.
Dr. Gadsden has a bachelor’s degree in special education from Slippery Rock University, a master’s degree in education from National Louis University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Bowie State University. Additionally, she was an adjunct professor at Washington Adventist University for ten years.
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Wow!! Congratulations to Dr. Gadsden of Takoma Park Elementary School for being named The @washingtonpost's Principal of the Year 🌟🎉https://t.co/ODUVkzF48h
— MCPS (@MCPS) April 24, 2024