Jillayne Flanders, MEd, CAGS

Deputy Director

Jill is an education consultant with a long and successful career as an elementary principal and teacher. Upon retirement from the public education system, she was principal of Hadley Elementary School (PK-6), Hadley MA. In that role she oversaw a growing learning. She is a tireless advocate for early childhood education and she has served on a number of related policy-driven committees, including her appointment to the Advisory Committee of the MA Department of Early Education and Care as its elementary principal representative.

As a CEI Teaching Fellow for a number of years, Jill has contributed vignettes to related publications on Heart Centered Learning, mindfulness, and visioning. She is currently the membership chair of the Social Emotional Learning Alliance for Massachusetts and has served on the alliance’s steering committee for the past four years.

Jill was an adjunct professor at Westfield State University from 1999-2014 in the graduate administrator licensure program. She has presented programs at the state and national levels on social emotional learning, PK-K standards in SEL and play, and inclusive practices.

She was the MA Principal of the Year and National Distinguished Principal in 2010-2011 and was elected to the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Board of Directors—an appointment she held from 2011-2014.

Most recently, Jill served as executive director of the MA Elementary School Principals' Association. She is a consultant to the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education with the Early Learning Team and MA School Administrators Association. Jill is an experienced educational administrator as well who has shown leadership in grant fundraising and management, including the attainment and management of the MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) portfolio. She is currently serving on the EEC Workforce Council.