Lee County Schools names East Lee’s Jenee Peace Assistant Principal of the Year

Jenee Peace, Assistant Principal at East Lee Middle School, has been named Assistant Principal of the Year for Lee County Schools, recognizing her servant leadership, commitment to students and staff, and dedication to creating a positive school culture.

The honor came as a surprise to Peace during the district’s Convocation last week. As Superintendent Dr. Chris Dossenbach described the qualities of an effective school leader, Peace said she recognized many of the words, but did not realize he was speaking about her.

“I was floored,” Peace said. “I was listening to Dr. Dossenbach, and a lot of the words sounded familiar, like ‘being a total person’ … that’s something we say at my church and how I try to lead.”

When her name was announced, Peace said, “It truly was a shock. It is just such a great honor to receive.”

Dossenbach praised Peace for understanding that school leadership is about more than schedules, data, and procedures.

“Ms. Peace brings a deep understanding of curriculum and instruction but also understands that school leadership is about more than data, discipline, and procedures,” Dossenbach said. “She is keenly aware that leadership is about people.”

Peace has served in administration since 2021, building on a philosophy of service that began during her time as a classroom teacher. 

“I try my best to be a servant leader,” she said. “A lot of my leadership, even as a teacher, is trying to meet the needs of my students first.”

As an administrator, she has expanded that focus to include supporting teachers as well as students. She said that her goal is to meet the needs of the entire school community while ensuring equity across the campus.

At East Lee, Peace is particularly proud of the success students have experienced and the culture the school community continues to build.

“The thing I love about being at East Lee is really just having that underdog mentality,” she described. “Just empowering our kids to experience educational success where they may not have had the opportunity to experience it yet.”

East Lee Principal Kelly Bancroft said Peace’s combination of instructional know-how and people skills truly help her shine. “Ms. Peace is an exceptional leader. She brings tremendous strength in instructional leadership and is tremendously skilled in building meaningful relationships with students,” Bancroft highlighted. “She is dedicated to helping both students and staff grow and thrive, which makes her so deserving of this honor. East Lee is incredibly fortunate to have her on our team!”

For Peace, the greatest measure of success is creating a school where students and staff feel they belong. 

“Knowing the work we are doing as an administration and staff to cultivate a place where people want to go to work, where people want to show up, and where kids want to be – that’s something that makes me very proud,” Peace outlined. “We can continue the hard work moving forward and making sure that every one of our students feels seen, feels heard, and feels valued here at East Lee.”

Provided.

Aug. 12, 2026

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