By Jonas Jeswald, LL’12, gcLi Scholar ‘19, Head of Middle School, Germantown Academy (PA)
Who are you favorite writers?
While I could answer this at length, some of my current favorites are: Kwame Alexander, Jason Reynolds, Malcolm Gladwell, Frank McCourt, Ernest Hemingway, Mitch Albom, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Jon Krakauer.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My heroes are my dad, the Heads of Schools I have worked for, my wife, and my Middle School teachers.
Who or What motivated you to become an educator?
My middle school years were the years that most shaped me into who I am today, and they weren’t easy. The experiences and teachers I had during those years are what motivated me to become an educator.
What is your idea of happiness?
My idea of happiness entails what I call living life. In other words: enjoying work that is meaningful, spending time with family & friends, and doing hobbies (for me that is reading, running, biking, fishing, among others)
In a nutshell what is your definition of leadership?
My definition in a nutshell is: helping others to be their best selves.
What would you change about cell phones in schools?
Cell phones are here to stay, though I do think they should stay in lockers during the day if students don’t need them as a learning tool.
What do you most value in your friends?
I most value candor and patience in my friends.
What do you do for self-renewal?
For self-renewal I sleep, read, run, bike, cook, and play with my kids.
Who is your hero/ heroine of fiction?
To be honest, I don’t have one that comes immediately to mind. All my heroes are here in the everyday.
What is your current state of mind?
I am a tall, white, straight, fairly athletic, male who doesn’t have a great poker face and can sometimes come across in ways that I don’t intend. I’m working on being aware of my privilege and the impact of my actions (verbal and non-verbal) on others.
[vc_separator border_style=”dashed”]Jonas Jeswald is in his fifth year as the Head of Middle School at Germantown Academy, a PreK-12 school located just outside Philadelphia in Fort Washington, PA. Jonas is a graduate of the 2012 gcLi Leadership Lab cohort, and will be serving as a gcLi Scholar for the 2019 gcLi Leadership Lab in recognition of his efforts to build a culture of leadership at Germantown Academy. In addition to being Head of Middle School, Jonas also teaches Spanish and a section of Lead Lab, GA’s 7th grade leadership course. He is a graduate of Skidmore College and Northeastern University.