New T.C. Williams High School Principal Jesse Dingle has been spending his weekends in October walking Alexandria’s neighborhoods, in order to better get to know his student body.
Dr. Dingle, with the help of T.C. Williams PTA President Yvonne Folkert, organized a series of “Community Walks” on Saturday mornings to meet families in the Alexandrian community.
“What impressed me with both my visits was the overwhelming hospitality displayed by all the families I visited. Each family was so very excited to host ‘the principal.’ In meeting with the families in their homes, I was able to get a very real sense of who our community is,” said Dr. Dingle.
His first walk on Saturday, October 10, was in the Taney Avenue neighborhood of Alexandria, near Patrick Henry Elementary School, where he dropped in to meet the families of five students.
The second in the series took place in the Alexandria’s west end on Saturday, where Dr. Dingle was joined by the chair of the Stakeholders Committee for the ACPS 2020 Strategic Plan, John Lennon, and his daughter, Sophie. Together they walked between six homes of T.C. Williams students.
“I was overwhelmed by just how diverse our community is; we are very proud of our community, and very proud and supportive of our schools. Regardless of where our students live, or go to school, our families are extremely proud of our schools, our teachers, and our administrators,” said Dr. Dingle.
Dr. Dingle concludes his October walks on Saturday, October 31. He will visit more students and their families in the spring.