Welcome to ALGONKIAN!

Welcome Back Bobcats! My name is Karen Shields and I am excited to be starting my 13th year as Assistant Principal of Algonkian. This is my 19th year in education and I still LOVE what I do! I have taught Pre-k, Kindergarten, Special Education K-2 and First Grade. I graduated from Slippery Rock University in 2002 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, received my Master's in Educational Leadership from Shenandoah University in 2009 and my certification in Special Education Administration through George Mason in 2011.  I was honored to receive the Award for Excellence in Supporting Special Education as an Outstanding Inclusive Vice Principal this past year.  It is my honor and pleasure working directly with our students with disabilities, their families and our amazing staff.

In today's world, education is so much more than sitting in desks and listening to a teacher talk. Dr. Antronette Yancey, a well-known physician-scientist says, “Kids pay better attention to their subjects when they are active.” At Algonkian, our goal is to create active and engaging classroom environments where all students can succeed. We also encourage all staff to build strong relationships with their students because studies show that “learning performance may be deeply affected by the emotional environment in which learning takes place.” We at Algonkian treasure the relationships we can build with not only our students but also with parents and the community.

Please remember that the "Partnership" between parents and the school is very important to your child's education. Feel free to contact me anytime at karen.shields@lcps.org

I look forward to seeing everyone throughout this wonderful year of learning and social development!

Proud to be a Bobcat!