Dr. Kay Isom-Benjamin was named the principal of Houston County WIN Academy during the Houston County Board of Education meeting held March 8, 2022. She began her new role in June 2022.
Prior to coming to the WIN Academy, she served as the Assistant Principal of Endeavor School in Lake Mary, Florida. She grew up in rural Southwest Georgia and has worked in public education for 25 years. She spent eight years teaching English at Perry High School. She also served as an Assistant Principal at Northside High School for 11 years.
Dr. Isom-Benjamin's philosophy of education has always been, "Every child has a gift; an educator's job is to find it." Hence, she has spent much of her career encouraging students and teachers to tap into those gifts.
"I am humbled to be selected as the Principal of WIN Academy. My hope is to create a school culture where both teachers and students feel so nurtured and supported that they believe in the infinite possibilities of their greatness and abilities," said Dr. Isom-Benjamin. "Above all else, I want everyone who enters and leaves WIN to believe that in life, they can WIN."
Dr. Isom-Benjamin received her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction at Mercer University. She is certified in the areas of leadership and English and has endorsements in reading and gifted education. She is also a published author. She and her husband have three sons and one daughter, who recently graduated from the University of Georgia.
Dr. Ami Lenderman, Assistant Principal for Instruction
Dr. Lenderman has been an educator for 15 years. She taught mathematics and coached cheerleading at Warner Robins High School for 9 years, but her career in education started with serving as a Health and Physical Education teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and then as a mathematics teacher and cheer coach in Putnam County Schools. She began her college career working towards her Bachelor's degree at Georgia College and State University, where she was a student athlete on the dance team. She transferred and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education with a minor in Mathematics from Georgia State University, then went on to earn her Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix, and lastly earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction from Mercer University.
Dr. Lenderman is proud to serve as the Assistant Principal of Instruction at WIN Academy. She is married to Shaun Lenderman and they have four children.
Dr. Tina Nelson-Jackson, Assistant Principal of Discipline
Dr. Tina Nelson-Jackson was appointed as the Assistant Principal of Discipline of Houston County WIN Academy on May 12, 2020. She has served as a teacher at Northside Middle School for twelve years and has worn many hats at the same time as a Team Leader, Teacher Mentor, PLC Chair, PBIS Coach, Dream Guardian Coordinator, and Guiding Coalition member.
She received a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership & Management from Capella University on February 29, 2020. She earned an Educational Specialist degree in Leadership from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, and she earned an Educational Specialist degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Piedmont College.
“Although, I am not considered as a “Home grown” resident of Houston County, I do consider myself to be a “Home girl” representative of the population that we serve at the WIN Academy. Dr. Nelson-Jackson is a native of Danville, Illinois, in which she earned her Master’s Degree in Education and Bachelor’s Degree in Career Occupations from Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. She earned her Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Danville Area Community College.
Before relocating to Georgia, Dr. Tina Nelson-Jackson served extensively in various leadership capacities involving juvenile delinquency prevention services, positive alternatives for youth, community development projects, and inmate grievances and institutional inquiry board services.
