It is with honor and enthusiasm that I serve as the Principal of  Parkside Junior High School.  It is a great privilege to be a part of the Parkside school family.  Forming partnerships with staff, students and the community are an integral part of the success at PJHS.  The upcoming school year will mark my 22nd year in Unit 5 as an educator and leader. During this time, I have served as a classroom teacher as well as Principal of both Towanda Elementary and Cedar Ridge Elementary. 

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had in Unit 5. These opportunities have allowed me to guide our youth and watch them grow and thrive.  Given that, I am inspired to partner and serve the staff, families and the school community to continue to foster the same for Parkside Junior High School. I believe that great schools are an outcome of great teachers, students and community.  I am strongly committed to continuing this belief at PJHS.   

PJHS believes in creating a positive environment where students can grow to their full academic, social and emotional potential.  This aligns directly with my beliefs as an administrator and my career outcomes thus far.

Please feel free to reach out to me directly at jensenk@unit5.org as we enter into the next school year at Parkside Junior High School.  

I'm both excited and humbled by the opportunity to serve Parkside Junior High School as the Associate Principal and Athletic Director. My previous experiences of 12 years as a teacher and coach have prepared me well for this position. I started my career in education as a PE teacher in Arlington, Virginia after completing my bachelor's degree from Northern Illinois University. It was at Patrick Henry Elementary School where I learned the importance of developing the whole child and learning more about each student's unique background, abilities, and needs to improve my practices. While in Northern Virginia, I earned a master's degree in Special Education and experienced education in an incredibly diverse setting. 

After moving back home to Illinois, I served the ISU Laboratory Schools for 8 years as a Faculty Associate at Thomas Metcalf School. Coaching assignments included varsity baseball asst. at U-High, and volleyball, basketball, and baseball at Metcalf. In addition to teaching and coaching, I served on several building and district-level committees to improve school culture and effect change for the benefit of teachers and students. These opportunities led me to pursue a second master's degree at ISU in Educational Administration (P-12).

As I begin my first year as an administrator in Unit 5, my goal is to build relationships with students, staff, and community members to impact students in a positive way and to the greatest extent possible. I believe that whether I meet students or families in the hallways, at an athletic event, or out in the community, there is an opportunity to make a connection and reinforce the #PythonPride and #YouBelong mottos of our amazing school. Please reach out to me directly at hawsj@unit5.org should you or your student need anything during the school year, especially regarding athletics, student concerns, and discipline.