Jenelle Newman: 'Be the best support system we can be for our students'
Jenelle Newman
Library Media Specialist and Maker Space Coordinator
Softball Coach and Social Media Manager
Seaside High School
From providing a safe haven for students to managing Chromebooks and textbooks to assisting students, coaching softball and serving as the school’s social media manager, Jenelle Newman does whatever is needed on the Seaside High School campus.
Jenelle has been serving at Seaside High for many years as the school’s library media specialist, Maker Space coordinator, social media manager, and softball coach. She is a product of the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District schools graduating from Monterey High School before pursuing post secondary education at Monterey Peninsula College and the Fashion Institute of Design Merchandising. Upon graduating from college she managed a luxury linen store before finding her way back to the Central Coast to be near family.
And, that is how she became a part of the MPUSD team. She started out as a substitute in the Special Education department and transitioned into a full-time Special Education aide. Jenelle served as an attendance clerk at Walter Colton Middle School and was eventually tapped to serve a larger role as the attendance clerk at Seaside High School. Today she now has the privilege of working in Seaside High School’s Maker Space.
“This space is unique because we serve so many types of kids with various interests,” she says.
One day she can be managing chromebooks and textbooks and another she finds herself assisting leadership building props. She enjoys when the space comes alive because of the utilization of resources.
“I enjoy helping students access the materials and the resources we have available. This space helps broaden their horizon beyond the classroom,” states Jenelle.
In addition to the functionality of the Maker Space, it is a safe space for many students.
“This is where they feel the most comfortable to be themselves. A lot of our students come from backgrounds that are complicated,” she says. “I was one of those students growing up. I had a complicated background and home life at times. I think relating to students struggling in those areas really makes me feel connected to the purpose.”
What motivates and inspires Jenelle is knowing that the students at Seaside High have endless potential. “They don’t even realize it and nobody’s telling them that and I get to be that person for a lot of our kids,” she says.
Jenelle is a mom to four children, but she would tell you that she has many more because she considers many of her students as her own. She gives them advice and pushes them to work harder and shares with them if you were her kid this is what she would want for them.
Jenelle takes pride in growing the school’s social media presence. She continues to keep up with the trends while being true to the demographics at Seaside. She also wants the medium to be open for community and families and transcend generational differences. What makes it so successful is she displays students, staff and the campus in ways others don’t get to see.
“We have so many things on our campus that don’t get the spotlight they deserve, and I tap into all those incredible things happening at Seaside High," Jenelle said.
Being at Seaside has provided Jenelle the opportunity to see so many diverse cultures and how their experiences are unique to them in their educational journey and beyond. She is most proud of serving as a classified staff member.
“All of our staff is incredible here, and our classified staff continuously goes above the call of duty. It is truly a privilege to get to work with them. We all are here for the same purpose and that is to be the best support system we can be for our students in and outside of the classroom. I truly count myself privileged to work with the people I work with here at Seaside High,” she says.