Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Certification
Hobbies
Affiliations
Timeline
Generic

Zachary Jackson, M.Ed

Washington,DC

Summary

Experienced and dynamic Art Educator with over 14 years in public education, 10 of those in Washington, D.C., and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. I am passionate about supporting fellow educators and now seek to transition into an Instructional Coach role where I can use my expertise to strengthen instructional practices, deepen student engagement, and foster professional growth across school communities. Known for developing innovative, standards-aligned curriculum and leading school-wide initiatives, I bring a proven ability to mentor teachers, design impactful learning experiences, and build inclusive, culturally responsive environments. My goal is to help educators feel more confident, creative, and connected in their practice while driving academic success and equity for all students.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Department Chair

Dunbar High School (Inner-Core)
08.2021 - Current
  • Planned and executed professional development sessions for department faculty and staff.
  • Built collaborative team of adults dedicated to joint attainment of department goals.
  • Created lesson plans, video content and other associated lesson materials.
  • Learned new skills and applied to daily tasks to improve efficiency and productivity.

Visual Art Teacher

District Of Columbia Public Schools- Dunbar HS
08.2017 - Current
  • Instructed students on visual arts techniques and assigned related art projects for students in 9 - 12 grade levels.
  • Researched best practices for arts integration and visual arts trends and applied new techniques to lesson plan material.
  • Developed new courses, selected curricula, sourced materials and created syllabi to fill educational gaps.
  • Oversaw work of students carrying out tasks to gather information, photographs and graphics for yearbook.
  • Developed lesson plans surrounding various types of art, history and culture.
  • Worked collaboratively with school administrators to implement intellectually challenging visual arts program that provided creative outlet for students.
  • Created engaging lesson plans, fostered culture of discovery and provided well-organized classroom structure to help students succeed in program.

Visual Art Teacher

District Of Columbia Public School- Johnson MS
08.2015 - 07.2017
    • Instructed students on visual arts techniques and assigned related art projects for students in 6 - 8 grade levels.
    • Worked collaboratively with school administrators to implement intellectually challenging visual arts program that provided creative outlet for students.
    • Utilized multimedia strategies and technology to convey information in fresh and interesting ways.
    • Aligned teaching techniques and devised personalized support strategies to help students with differing ability levels and grasp of materials.

Visual Art Teacher

Hoke County Public Schools
01.2011 - 06.2015
  • Created engaging lesson plans, fostered culture of discovery and provided well-organized classroom structure to help students succeed in program.
  • Worked collaboratively with school administrators to implement intellectually challenging visual arts program that provided creative outlet for students.
  • Researched best practices for arts integration and visual arts trends and applied new techniques to lesson plan material.
  • Provided one-on-one attention to students, while maintaining overall focus on entire group.
  • Established positive rapport with all students and parents through home calls, emails and Parent Teacher Club.

Cake Designer

Walmart
05.2010 - 01.2011
  • Mentored junior staff members, sharing expertise in cake design techniques and best practices.
  • Implemented creative marketing strategies that increased brand awareness both online and offline.
  • Achieved consistency in product quality by closely following recipes and adapting as necessary for optimal results.
  • Streamlined production processes, ensuring timely completion of all cake orders.

Education

Master of Education - Organizational Leadership

Concordia University
Portland, OR
05.2016

Bachelor of Arts - Fine Arts

Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
05.2010

Skills

Creative & Visual Communication Skills

  • Visual storytelling and brand aesthetics
  • Graphic design and layout (eg, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva)
  • Art direction and conceptual development
  • Photography and image editing
  • Curriculum and content creation for diverse audiences
  • Public displays and gallery exhibition planning

Instructional & Training Skills

  • Lesson planning and instructional design
  • Differentiated learning strategies for diverse needs
  • Curriculum development aligned with standards
  • Student-centered learning facilitation
  • Professional development facilitation for peers
  • Assessment and evaluation of learning outcomes

Communication & Presentation Skills

  • Clear written and verbal communication
  • Public speaking and group facilitation
  • Storytelling for engagement and impact
  • Conflict resolution and empathetic listening
  • Family and community engagement

Leadership & Collaboration Skills

  • Team leadership and mentoring
  • Departmental coordination and cross-disciplinary collaboration
  • Event planning and execution (eg, art shows, student showcases)
  • Committee leadership and policy contribution
  • Advocacy for arts integration and funding

Project & Program Management

  • Managing long-term projects from concept to execution
  • Budgeting and resource allocation
  • Scheduling and logistics coordination
  • Monitoring and evaluation of program success
  • Grant writing and proposal development

Technical & Digital Proficiency

  • EdTech tools (eg, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, LMS platforms)
  • Digital art and multimedia tools (eg, Procreate, Photoshop, iMovie)
  • Website and social media management
  • Online course content creation
  • Data tracking and reporting

Innovation & Problem Solving

  • Creative problem-solving under constraints
  • Adapting to change in fast-paced environments
  • Designing engaging solutions for complex challenges
  • Incorporating feedback to improve processes

Accomplishments

  • Awarded Highly-Effective in school year 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Co-Founder of the Carter G. Woodson Black Studies Academy at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Washington, DC- 2019
  • Founder and Creator of Kuumba Arts Society at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Washington, DC - 2021
  • Instructed passing AP Studio Art Students
  • Founder and Creator of Dunbar Step Team - 2018
  • Assisted administration with the training a student teacher at. Johnson Middle School - 2017
  • Collaborated with team of students in the development of Dunbar High School Yearbook - 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Collaborated with team of students & DCPS ARTS and Transform DC Murals. 2019 - 2024

Certification

  • DC Licensed Teacher - Art/PreK-12 Grade Level Initial Teacher DC
  • ACE- Social/Emotional Learning (Art Therapy-DCPS)

Hobbies

  • Fitness and Strength Training
  • Personal Fitness Training and Coaching
  • Photography and Video

Affiliations

  • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, INC - Spring 2009 Initiate
  • International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness - Pro Athlete Member
  • NAACP - Act-SO 2006

Timeline

Department Chair

Dunbar High School (Inner-Core)
08.2021 - Current

Visual Art Teacher

District Of Columbia Public Schools- Dunbar HS
08.2017 - Current

Visual Art Teacher

District Of Columbia Public School- Johnson MS
08.2015 - 07.2017

Visual Art Teacher

Hoke County Public Schools
01.2011 - 06.2015

Cake Designer

Walmart
05.2010 - 01.2011

Master of Education - Organizational Leadership

Concordia University

Bachelor of Arts - Fine Arts

Elizabeth City State University

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