DAVIS COUNTY, Utah, Nov. 22, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The Davis School District has appointed veteran educator Jacqueline Thompson to serve as assistant superintendent, to start in early December.
Thompson “will be working on diversity and equity issues as well as work that will take place following the district’s recent settlement with the Department of Justice,” a statement from the District says. Read more about the DOJ settlement here.
After the settlement, the Davis School District was rocked again by the suicide of 10-year-old Izzy Tichenor, a Black, autistic student at Foxboro Elementary School, whose family said she took her life because of bullying, which reportedly was not addressed by staff members. The district promised an investigation and action in that case as well.
District Superintendent Reid Newey, who appointed Thompson, said he sees her as someone who can help the district chart the path ahead.
“We believe Dr. Thompson will be key in moving us in a definitive direction as we move forward in our efforts to do better for all students,” Newey said in a prepared statement. “She is a valuable resource and someone who understands better than anyone where we need to go.”
Thompson’s background
Thompson retired from the Davis School District in 2018, the district announcement says. At that time, she was serving as the Director of Educational Equity. Her duties and responsibilities included the District’s Parent Equity Committee, multicultural education, civil rights issues, Respecting Ethnic and Cultural Heritage (REACH) training,
Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID), and the V(i)llage Program.
Prior to joining Davis School District in 2000, Thompson taught public school in Idaho and California, worked as a gender equity specialist and education specialist in the Utah State Office of Education, and as an Equal Employment Opportunity specialist at Hill Air Force Base.
During her career, Thompson has received numerous awards and national recognitions, including the Spirit of the American Woman Award for Public Education in 1994 and the Utah Women’s Achievement Award presented by the Governor’s Commission for Women and Families in 1998. She served as Mrs. Utah in 1999 and was the recipient of the Salt Lake Branch NAACP Martin Luther King Award for the year 2000.
Additionally, she was the 2011 recipient of the Drum Major Award for the Utah State Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Commission and was recognized by the Idaho State University Alumni Association with the Professional Achievement Award at its 2015 Commencement.
On Nov. 12, 2012, Gov. Gary Herbert appointed Thompson to the State Multicultural Commission. She also served as the Education Chair on the Utah State Martin Luther King, Jr. Human Rights Commission.
