Dr. Jessica Panfil

Dual-Language Elementary Principal | Arlington, VA
Dr. Jessica Panfil

Dr. Jessica Panfil is the principal of Claremont Immersion Elementary School in Arlington, VA and the winner of the 2022 Arlington Public Schools (VA) Principal of the Year Award.  In this two-part video interview, she discusses the pride her students take in being bilingual, outreach to diverse families, and the role of assessment in planning instruction for all students.

See more from Dr. Panfil and Claremont in our video series about dual-language education, produced with support from the National Education Association!

Biography

On her school website, Jessica writes, "Dual language education is my passion and I am delighted to be the principal of Claremont Immersion School. I graduated cum laude from Columbia University with a B.A. in Latin American History and earned my M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Georgia. With my family, I lived and worked in dual language schools in Santa Cruz, Bolivia (3 years) and Cuzco, Peru (5 years). I live in Arlington with my husband, two daughters, and three pets."