Jim Triplett, a 2019 inductee of the University City High School Hall of Fame and a member of its Class of 1996, will join Jackson Park Elementary School as its new principal on July 1, 2023. Mr. Triplett will be replacing Dr. Rebecca O'Connell, who will assume the role of Assistant Superintendent for People and General Administration within the District.
With more than 10 years of experience as an educational leader and educator, Mr. Triplett has an impressive record of improving academic performance in both urban and suburban school settings. He is particularly skilled in elementary school leadership, instructional coaching, academic data analysis, staff and community engagement and restorative justice practices.
“I’m very excited about coming home to U. City,” he said. “As an alum of the high school as well as being inducted into its Hall of Fame, and to now be the principal of Jackson Park Elementary School - it’s a full circle moment. I received an excellent education while attending Brittany Woods Middle School and U. City High School which created a strong foundation for my future success, and it is my goal to ensure the students at Jackson Park continue to receive the same. There is a lot of history and tradition at Jackson Park. I am looking forward to working with students, staff and families to honor those traditions while supporting students through the lens of Learning Reimagined, and leading with the heart of a lion.”
Triplett currently serves as the principal of Froebel Literacy Academy in the Saint Louis Public Schools system. He has held various leadership and teaching roles within SLPS, including Assistant Principal at Gateway Elementary School and Academic Instructional Coach at Sigel Elementary School. He previously taught and held leadership roles in different schools around the country, including KIPP Polaris Academy for Boys in Houston, the Boston Collegiate Charter School and Joseph Lee School in Massachusetts, and Nickajack Elementary School in the Cobb County School District in Marietta, GA.
Triplett has received several awards recognizing his accomplishments in education leadership, including the St. Louis Public Schools Elementary School Leader of the Year, the Pettus Award of Excellence by the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation and the Excellence in Education Award by the St. Louis American Foundation. He is also actively involved in educational initiatives in the St. Louis region, serving on the Board of Directors for Turn the Page STL and the St. Louis Regional Literacy Association.
He is currently a doctoral candidate in the Doctorate of Education (EdD) in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri – Columbia. He has a Master of Education in School Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, a Master of Arts in Educational Technology from Lindenwood University and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University.
"I am thrilled to welcome Mr. Triplett back home to The School District of University City," said Superintendent Dr. Sharonica Hardin-Bartley. "He stood out with a track record of strong leadership and team-building skills - not to mention his true love for younger children and U. City. I have no doubt that he will foster a loving, engaging, and academically curious environment for Jackson Park students, staff and families while also building on the strong foundation established by Dr. O'Connell."
