Mary Jennings
Interim Director of Music
Mary graduated from Cheyney State Teacher’s College in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education prior to beginning her teaching career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While living, working, and teaching in Philadelphia, Mary co-founded Camp E.C.H.O. (Exceptional children Have Opportunities), a summer day camp for special needs children and served as its first Administrator. Following multiple teaching roles, Mary received a Master of Education degree with certification in Special Education from Arcadia University, Glenside, Pennsylvania in 1981 and Intermediate Administration and Supervision in 1986 from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut.
In 1992 as Principal of Rogers Elementary School, in Stamford, Connecticut, along with teachers and parents, she instituted the S.M.A.R.T Magnet School Program (Science, Math, Arts, and Reading through Technology), the Math and Robotics Olympiad, as well as the Higher Order Thinking School (H.O.T.S) programs. The programs brought various musicians, poets, writers, and members of the Stamford Symphony into the school for an Artist Residency Program that worked with students at each grade level sharing their talents and engaging students in the Arts. Under Mary’s leadership Rogers Elementary also received the Yale University School of the 21st Century designation and grant award for two consecutive years, leading in part to Roger’s designation as a Technology Magnet School in 1999. In 2001 in a new assignment as Principal of the Hart Science and Technology Magnet School she was able to continue the goals of fostering the development of students through Science, the Arts, and Technology innovations.
In 2013 Mary became the Director of Early Childhood Development and Interventions for the school district. The program enrolled students’ ages 3 to 5 in a preschool program provided by certified Pre-K teachers. This PreK school district program served over 800 students, regardless of their socio- economic levels, with full school day, school year programs. She administered and supervised programs for regular and special education teams and teaching staff.
While living in Connecticut, Mary served as the Director of the Mount Aery Baptist Church Mass Choir, in Bridgeport, Connecticut for approximately ten years. She developed the choir through music theory, harmony, and choral singing. This group of singers was comprised of thirty women and men, with various singing abilities, who took joy in singing to the glory of God.
Mary retired from the Stamford Public Schools in 2016 as the Director of Early Childhood Development and Intervention, and former Principal of two Elementary Magnet Schools bringing to a close a successful and memorable forty-year career in education.
Her Husband of fifty-four years is Howard Jennings. They are the proud parents of three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is a member of PCUMC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Cheyney University Alumni Association, NAACP, the African American Cultural Society, and Choral Arts Society of Palm Coast.
Mary graduated from Cheyney State Teacher’s College in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education prior to beginning her teaching career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While living, working, and teaching in Philadelphia, Mary co-founded Camp E.C.H.O. (Exceptional children Have Opportunities), a summer day camp for special needs children and served as its first Administrator. Following multiple teaching roles, Mary received a Master of Education degree with certification in Special Education from Arcadia University, Glenside, Pennsylvania in 1981 and Intermediate Administration and Supervision in 1986 from Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut.
In 1992 as Principal of Rogers Elementary School, in Stamford, Connecticut, along with teachers and parents, she instituted the S.M.A.R.T Magnet School Program (Science, Math, Arts, and Reading through Technology), the Math and Robotics Olympiad, as well as the Higher Order Thinking School (H.O.T.S) programs. The programs brought various musicians, poets, writers, and members of the Stamford Symphony into the school for an Artist Residency Program that worked with students at each grade level sharing their talents and engaging students in the Arts. Under Mary’s leadership Rogers Elementary also received the Yale University School of the 21st Century designation and grant award for two consecutive years, leading in part to Roger’s designation as a Technology Magnet School in 1999. In 2001 in a new assignment as Principal of the Hart Science and Technology Magnet School she was able to continue the goals of fostering the development of students through Science, the Arts, and Technology innovations.
In 2013 Mary became the Director of Early Childhood Development and Interventions for the school district. The program enrolled students’ ages 3 to 5 in a preschool program provided by certified Pre-K teachers. This PreK school district program served over 800 students, regardless of their socio- economic levels, with full school day, school year programs. She administered and supervised programs for regular and special education teams and teaching staff.
While living in Connecticut, Mary served as the Director of the Mount Aery Baptist Church Mass Choir, in Bridgeport, Connecticut for approximately ten years. She developed the choir through music theory, harmony, and choral singing. This group of singers was comprised of thirty women and men, with various singing abilities, who took joy in singing to the glory of God.
Mary retired from the Stamford Public Schools in 2016 as the Director of Early Childhood Development and Intervention, and former Principal of two Elementary Magnet Schools bringing to a close a successful and memorable forty-year career in education.
Her Husband of fifty-four years is Howard Jennings. They are the proud parents of three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is a member of PCUMC, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Cheyney University Alumni Association, NAACP, the African American Cultural Society, and Choral Arts Society of Palm Coast.
