Jessica S. Patterson

Liberty Primary School
School District of Pickens County
Liberty, South Carolina
jessicapatterson@pickens.k12.sc.us

Jessica Patterson currently serves as principal of Liberty Primary School, formerly Chastain Road Elementary, a rural school in Liberty, South Carolina. In her six years as principal, Liberty has become a model school for the School District of Pickens County. Within just one year, Patterson was able to turn school report cards from below average to excellent. Patterson’s commitment to excellence is felt by Liberty teachers, who report that Patterson incentivizes professional development, generously absorbing the cost of endorsements and enriching experiences. Ever-committed to the wellbeing of the whole child, Patterson’s work on student engagement and personalized learning has resulted in many honors. In February of 2019, Liberty was selected to host an Inquiry Lab on personalized learning for the South Carolina State Department of Education. Patterson and her staff hosted 35 educators from across the state and were subsequently asked to host two more times the following school year. The Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta also visited Liberty, ultimately selecting the school to be featured at their celebratory gala hosted by Oprah Winfrey. Patterson is steadfastly committed to expanding the district’s early childhood education program. Her school is the district’s first to offer Pre-K to three year olds. Patterson holds an M.A. in school leadership from Furman University and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Clemson University.