Jennifer Bookout describes her path into the education field as nontraditional. She originally got her degree in archaeology and participated in some archaeological digs in Israel. Eventually, she recognized that she wanted a career that would allow her to stay closer to home to raise children. This is when she fell in love with education.
Bookout then entered an education program and earned her education degree and teacher certification from the University of Michigan. She also earned her K-12 administrative certification from Eastern Michigan University. Last August, Bookout also earned an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership through Northern Michigan University.
When she began her teaching career, Bookout began by teaching 3rd grade in Ypsilanti public schools. However, the school faced budget cuts and she was moved into the media specialist and computer teacher position where she taught for a year.
After this, she decided to move into the same role but working with middle and high school students within Ypsilanti public schools where she taught for a few years.
Next, Bookout went to a charter school through the National Heritage Academy and worked as their technology teacher for grades 2 through 8. After this Bookout accepted her first administrator position as the Middle School Dean for one of the National Heritage Academy schools.
Milan Middle School
Bookout began working in Milan in 2019 as the Principal of Symons Elementary, which was the 3rd-5th grade building at the time. She served as Principal there for about 4 and a half years. In the fall of 2023, the current Milan Middle School Principal took another position and Bookout decided to move over to the middle school to support her current students in their transition to the middle school. At the middle school, Bookout serves about 510 students ranging from 5th grade to 8th.
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This year is the first year that the middle school building has housed 5th grade students. This has been Bookout and her school’s project as a part of easing the transition for Elementary school students into the middle school building.
At the school, 5th graders are in a semi-self contained classroom where they receive all of their core subject instruction. Being in the middle school building allows students to get to know the support staff, elective teachers and building in 5th grade.
In 6th grade they transition to more of a traditional middle school experience where they change teachers and rooms each hour. However, students stay with the same cohort of classmates to further scaffold the transition to a changing schedule. Beginning in 7th grade, students change classes and classmates that they interact with throughout the day. Bookout describes this change as a way to make the transition to middle school “thoughtful and intentional.”
Joys of being principal
Bookout told us that one of the aspects of being the Principal that she values the most is the connections she makes in this role.
She said her favorite part of the role is the school community. “I love our staff. I love our families. I love our students,” she said. “It’s so great to be a part of everybody’s life and everybody’s individual journey, especially with these students that I’ve known since they were eight and nine years old. Getting to see them grow up and develop as people, develop their talents, and just getting to be a part of their life for that extended period of time is really really special.”
Bookout also discussed that she values helping bring student voices into the school, especially at the middle school level. She talked about helping to empower her students to advocate for themselves and recognize that they have a stake in their learning.
Personal life
Bookout enjoys spending time with her husband Shane and their 4 children, EJ, Ben, Abby and Sam. EJ is a college student at Eastern Michigan, Ben is a Junior in high school, Abby is a 6th grader at Milan Middle and Sam is in 3rd grade. As a family they love to travel to state and national parks to unplug from the busy pace of life.
Advice for families finishing up the school year
Bookout says that she understands that this is a busy and sometimes stressful time both at school and at home. She recommends that families remember that finishing out the school year is a marathon, not a sprint. Bookout says that although this time can feel hectic, it’s helpful to pace yourself and take it one day or week at a time. She also finds it helpful for her own family to have a shared family calendar to keep everyone’s commitments in one place.
