On Aug. 14, before the start of freshman orientation, staff members gathered in the cafeteria to welcome McLean’s new principal, Raven Jones. Jones, formerly the principal of Luther Jackson Middle School, will officially begin her role on Sept. 2. She takes over for Ellen Reilly, who was McLean’s principal for 13 years and is now FCPS’s Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services.
During Jones’ introduction, Region 2 Assistant Superintendent Megan Vroman shared the qualities and needs voiced by the school community, which helped guide the selection process for the new principal.
“We heard that a critical priority is a leader who will actively work to alleviate immense academic pressure and stress on students while supporting students’ mental health and well-being,” Vroman said. “We shared this with the [interview] panel so that they could be listening for these things.”
Vroman also spoke about Jones’ character and her achievements as a leader at Luther Jackson Middle School. Her time there was marked by programs and initiatives that strengthened both academic focus and the school community.
“The new principal for McLean High School is a leader who prioritizes time with students, families and staff, not only being physically [present] but also building relationships with the team and students,” Vroman said. “In her previous role, she developed and administered a credit and attendance recovery program resulting in a 97% on-time graduation rate, setting a new record for the school and surpassing the state averages.”
After the faculty welcomed Jones with applause, she expressed her excitement to be part of McLean. She assured the staff that while she hopes to bring new ideas, they shouldn’t expect dramatic changes.
“I am so excited to meet all of you. You have no idea how long I’ve been trying to meet you—we’re going to have a great year,” Jones said at the staff meeting. “I want you to know that I am not coming in to turn McLean over. Everyone can stop worrying. We are going to do amazing work, and we are going to find new ways to do work incredibly.”
Jones recognized the challenge that comes with such a huge transition and emphasized her gratitude to the McLean community for the warm welcome.
“I just wanted to thank you all for just being open to a new principal. I know it is a very hard transition when you’ve had someone in the building as long as [Dr. Reilly] has been here,” Jones said. “I know that this can be difficult. It can be rough. So thank you for being open to allowing me to be a part of this family.”
Following the long-awaited announcement, McLean staff members said they feel optimistic about the future of McLean.
“I’m excited to work with the new principal and see all of her new ideas,” math teacher Adam Newburger said. “Based on what she said, she wants to continue doing the things that we’re doing and only improve, and I think we’re all always looking to improve.”
