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Jinks finds her dream job at Worthingway



First-year Worthingway Middle School Assistant Principal Abby Jinks knew early on that she wanted to ascend to a position in leadership in education, she said, because she felt that would be the way to best serve children in education.

“I’ve always known that I wanted to be in a leadership, organizational management-type role,” the Solon High School graduate said. “So, this has been my dream job. Starting this job, it has become more so. I love this role so much.

Worthingway Middle School Assistant Principal Abby Jinks has fit right in during her first year at the school. (Spotlight photo by Seth Shaner)

“I loved teaching, but this provides me the ability to make change at a bigger level and it’s not just isolated to one subject or one grade. The biggest and best part of my job is working with kids.”

After serving as student body president while at Ohio State University, Jinks became an eighth-grade math teacher at Gahanna Middle School West.

Following that experience, she accepted the assistant principal position at Worthingway, and it has been a good collaboration thus far.

“Abby has been a fantastic addition to Worthingway Middle School,” said Principal Nathan Kellenberger.

“She is incredibly student-centered. She’s passionate, caring, creative and an incredible leader.”

Kellenberger has observed Jinks’ ability to manage her time and relate with students and staff and has come away impressed.

It’s a mutual attraction as Jinks has discovered Worthington City Schools to be everything she thought it was going to be before taking the job.

“When I applied for jobs I was hyper-focused on Worthington,” she said. “Worthington City Schools does an extremely good job of communicating who they are as a district and their passion for loving kids. It’s just very clear and it’s very simple.

“Throughout the interview process it’s a two-way street but as the person being interviewed, it was always clear that the administration team in Worthington is extremely strong and genuinely love and put students first.”

Being the second year since Worthington added sixth-grade students to its middle schools, Jinks brought experience in that setup to the table.

Each grade at Worthingway has its own challenges for its respective students and helping them cope with those is a big part of the job for Jinks.

“In sixth grade the task is transitioning kids from elementary to middle school,” she said.

“I think we’re in a great spot because many of our sixth-grade staff worked in elementary school and they shifted. They really know the elementary mindset and they’re seeing what the middle school mindset is and how to help transition those kids.

“Seventh grade is like the middle child of middle school. They’ve been in it for a year, and they have the opportunity to shift into being leaders. In eighth grade you’re starting to have those real young-adult conversations. You’re going to be going to high school next year. Middle school is an opportunity to try things and fail forward. When you get to high school things lock in a little bit more and we need to prepare them.”

Jinks is also focused on making sure those eighth-graders leave Worthingway having set a good example for what the current sixth and seventh graders will try to emulate.

After several months on the job, Jinks has transitioned well, working nicely with children and teachers and staff.

“She is amazing at the most important skill of being a school principal,” Kellenberger said.

“And that’s creating a strong school culture. She does that by caring and recognizing our students’ and staff’s needs daily. I am proud to work with her.”

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