Meet Mrs. Jamie DeWitt, Principal, Portland High School

Mrs. Jamie DeWitt is enjoying her fifth year of school administration at Portland High School.

Prior to working in Portland, Mrs. DeWitt worked as principal of Nextech High School in Okemos.

Mrs. DeWitt grew up in Portage, Michigan and was graduated from high school in Caledonia. She received her bachelor degree from Aquinas College and her master degree from MSU.

Mrs. DeWitt has faced many challenges in her work at PHS, but the most important issue for her thus far in Portland has been that of building back the good relationship between the school and the community that existed prior to Covid.

“We’re working to build relationships with local businesses that will employ our graduates after they finish high school,” said Mrs. DeWitt. “Those relationships were strained because of Covid and we have worked hard to re-establish them. These relationships are an essential part of meeting students’ needs after graduation.”

Before working in administration, Mrs. DeWitt worked as a teacher and she found it meaningful to help the students in her classes that were most in need of assistance. She saw an opportunity to do more good in that regard by entering administration.

“Administration puts me in a position to help students,” said Mrs. DeWitt. “I find it useful in that pursuit to get to know families in Portland who have sons and daughters enrolled in our school. These relationships create a springboard to effectively help students.”

Mrs. DeWitt’s focus this year includes promoting good student mental health. This is being done in part through a student organization called Bionic.

“Bionic students meet once a month to plan ways to promote healthy learning and healthy students,” she said.

Mrs. DeWitt is a dedicated administrator.

“Making sure that learning happens in the classroom is important to our staff,” she said. “We determine what the student’s goals are and we adapt their education to meet those goals.”

Mrs. DeWitt is optimistic about the future of Portland high School:

“It’s my hope that Portland High School will continue to prepare students for their next step after high school, be it college, a job in the trades, or in some other area of employment. It is my hope that Portland High School will continue to provide students with what they need so that they will have a positive future and find a productive place in the community.”

Mrs. DeWitt can be reached at 517-647-2981.

Courtesy photo of PHS staff. Jamie DeWitt located front row, far right.