[LAND O LAKES, FL] Effective January 1, 2019, Ms. Araina “Raini” Jewell will move to the position of Lower Division Director at Academy at the Lakes. Ms. Jewell joined the Academy at the Lakes administration this past summer and has worked seamlessly in partnership with our Interim Lower Division Director Kathy Heller to lead the Lower Division program and culture to ever-higher heights. Raini comes with a tremendous resume and track record of success.
An independent school “lifer” herself, she earned her undergraduate degree at Brown University and her Master of Science in Early Childhood and Elementary Education at the Bank Street College of Education. While working and living in New York, she worked for both J.P. Morgan and Nickelodeon, where she was on the development team for Nick Jr.’s Dora the Explorer.
Her independent school work began as Assistant Director of Admissions at The Nightingale-Bamford School, and then the Director of both the Early Childhood Division and the Lower School Division at Trevor Day School. Upon her move to Tampa in 2015, she served as the Principal of the Lower School at St. John’s Episcopal Parish Day School for three years before moving to Academy at the Lakes in July 2018.
Mrs. Heller, the Interim Lower Division Director will assume the role of Director of Curriculum and Instruction for PreK – Grade 6. Kathy stepped out of retirement to lead the Lower Division while the school was in transition. Her vision will continue to animate the Academy classrooms and culture through her work in Curriculum and Instruction.
About Academy at the Lakes: Academy at the Lakes serves students in PreK3 through High School in a warm and inclusive community, preparing them for college and for life.