Akari Jensen, a fourth grade teacher at Happy Valley Elementary School, will serve as the next Outdoor School Principal starting on July 1, 2022. NWRESD’s Outdoor Science School offers multi-day, overnight experiences to more than 11,000 students in 5th & 6th grade across five sites. The team includes 10 permanent staff and up to 65 seasonal staff during fall and spring Outdoor School sessions.

“Akari thoroughly impressed our team and we are elated to bring her onboard,” says Megan McCarter, executive director of instructional services.  “Throughout the interview process Akari’s passion and excitement for Outdoor School and her unwavering focus on equity and antiracism inspired us. Akari brings a wealth of knowledge from running outdoor summer camps to best practices in instruction to equity training for staff. I am confident that she will lead our already incredible Outdoor School program to new heights.”

Akari has taught kindergarten, second grade and fourth grade in Portland Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools and North Clackamas School District, respectively. In the summer of 2021 she served as the summer enrichment site coordinator at Sunnyside Elementary, establishing a brand-new program and managing operations.

Prior to her teaching career, Akari spent more than a decade as the program manager for the Tsuga Community Commission. At Tsuga, she developed programming for camps serving military families, low-income families and others. She also fostered relationships with sponsors and clients, managed finances, and grew the organization’s reputation through newsletters, media relations, fundraising projects and grant writing.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in drama and French from Vassar College. She received her master’s in teaching from the University of Portland and her preliminary principal’s license from George Fox University.