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Jessie L. Taylor, M.S., Ed.S
Jessie L. Taylor, the eldest of eleven children, has had a lifelong passion for education. After serving a tour in the Vietnam War, he returned to his native home of Mississippi and received a B.S. in 1971 and his M.S. in 1975 from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) in Political Science and Secondary Education. In 1978, he was certified as a Specialist in Education from USM.
Mr. Taylor’s career in education spans thirty five years. Throughout his career, his focus has been on educating youth in underserved communities. He began his career as a high school Social Studies teacher where he developed extra-curricular activities for students such as the Afro-American History Club and the Chess Club. Mr. Taylor went on to serve as a school administrator in the public school systems for over twenty years turning around schools in some of the most underserved communities in Mississippi and Alabama. Undaunted by statistical challenges, Mr. Taylor accepted an appointment as principal of Jackson Middle School, one of the lowest performing schools in Jackson, Alabama.
Universally respected by his peers in education, he is also known for his public service contributions. He has served on the board of Mississippi Professional Educators (MPE) and the Pinebelt Chapter of the American Red Cross. He has also served on the executive board and as an officer of the Wayne County chapter of the NAACP where he is a lifetime member. His commitment to public service is also demonstrated through organizations that he created. Mr. Taylor found the Wayne County Improvement Association to improve the quality of life of county residents. He was the founder and first president of the Wayne County Professional Educators. He was also one of the founding members of the Alabama Conference of Educators.
Mr. Taylor is married to Ollie Mae (Howze) Taylor who has also maintained a career as an educator for over twenty years. He has four daughters, two of whom are educators and four granddaughters.
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