Katie Zwald

The Jamestown Public Schools Board of Education has approved the appointment of Katherine Zwald to serve as principal of Jefferson Middle School.

Zwald, the current assistant principal at Persell Middle School, will begin her appointment on July 1, 2024. Zwald will collaborate with Jason Mank, the building’s assistant principal, who has served as interim principal since January.

“Katie did a tremendous job during the interview process and had extremely high scores from the staff, students, and families who participated,” said Dr. Kevin Whitaker, Jamestown Public Schools superintendent. “The input of Jefferson staff was specifically valuable, and we believe she will be a perfect leader for this passionate and unique school community.”

A 2008 graduate of Jamestown High School, Zwald has served JPS in various capacities since 2015. She spent six years as a fourth grade teacher at M.J. Fletcher Elementary School before serving one year as the assistant principal at the Raymond J. Fashano Technical Academy. She has served as the assistant principal at Persell since 2022.

“We are so pleased to welcome Mrs. Zwald to Jefferson Middle School to serve as its next building principal,” said Tina Sandstrom, assistant superintendent for instruction and school improvement. “Since joining our administrative team, Mrs. Zwald has demonstrated strong and effective leadership and communication skills that have aided her as both a building and instructional leader. She will be a perfect fit to lead this great school community forward.”

In her current role, she has helped serve as an instructional leader in various programs and activities at Persell, including the coordination of new English language arts and math curricula. Zwald also served on the family and community engagement committee, PBIS Tier I team, Tier III behavior support team, and as 504 chair.

Zwald earned her bachelor’s degree in childhood education from SUNY Fredonia in 2013, her master’s in curriculum and instruction from Gannon University in 2015, and her school building and school district leader certifications from University of Rochester.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as principal of Jefferson Middle School,” said Zwald. “There is important work being done throughout our district’s middle schools to ensure our students are prepared for high school and beyond. I am excited to use my experiences to help lead these efforts at Jefferson. I look forward to meeting all of the staff, students, and their families as we prepare for a new school year.”

She and her husband Aaron have three children: Shaylie, Tyler, and Jayce Zwald.