Nicole T. Johnson

Former Newark Board of Education Deputy Superintendent Nicole T. Johnson is a talented educator, respected leader, and committed advocate for equity in education. Ms. Johnson has more than 25 successful years of service in public education. She leads with a heart for service and always keeps students at the center of every decision. Under her leadership as Deputy Superintendent, Ms. Johnson led the streamlined reorganization of the district’s Office of Academic Services, including the development of robust Offices of Teaching and Learning, School Leadership Teams, and Staff Development. Ms. Johnson also led the district’s design and implementation of its groundbreaking, ten-year strategic plan, The Next Decade: 2020-2030, which prioritizes equity, access, and academic success for all students.

Ms. Johnson began her teaching career at the Marie Katzenbach School for the Deaf, and a few years later joined The Newark Board of Education at the Bruce Street School for the Deaf. For the next several years she was appointed to many central office positions including Master Teacher, District Coordinator, and Literacy Supervisor. In 2010, she joined Elliott Street School as a Vice-Principal and three short years later was appointed as Principal of the same school.

As Principal, Ms. Johnson had the distinguished honor of opening up the brand-new Elliott Street School building. Under her leadership, Elliott Street School implemented the highly successful Blended Learning program. This educational program combined online digital content with traditional classroom methods, and allowed students to receive individualized instruction on a daily basis. The school’s enrollment doubled, and the school was the recipient of many grants and national partnerships. In 2018, Ms. Johnson was selected as one of Newark’s Living Legends in Education by the Mayor and City Council of Newark,
NJ for her innovative leadership.

Ms. Johnson specializes in school leadership development. As a national consultant, she works closely with school and district leaders in the areas of professional learning communities, systems thinking, and school improvement through strategic planning. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Montclair State University, teaching graduate courses to aspiring school leaders.

Ms. Johnson is an active member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and her proudest accomplishments, and the joys of her life are her two sons Taji and Jordan. Taji is a graduate from the University of Delaware and currently resides in Los Angeles, California and Jordan is a recent graduate from Temple University.

Ms. Johnson operates under the belief system that “if you expect more, then you will achieve more”. She brings that impactful spirit into the lives of the staff and students whom she encounters each and every day.

Testimonials

"This is year 2 for me as a supervisor of Guidance. Although not the same evaluation tool you provided strategies to strengthen and provide comprehensive evaluations for staff to improve their delivery of services."

"This experience has been truly valuable and an experience I will never forget. It has helped build me as a leader and has taken me out of my comfort zone, where real growth begins."

"Being specific with look-fors to guide the conversation and improve teacher practice. That was really helpful for me! Yesterday I went in to observe and was very lost on what I should be looking for, today left me with everything I needed to be successful."

"The impact of this partnership has been tangible: improved teacher effectiveness, stronger leadership capacity, and most importantly, better outcomes for our students. What I most appreciate is that their support never feels generic; it feels intentional, thoughtful, and rooted in a genuine commitment to equity and excellence."

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"What sets Mission Driven Consulting apart is their deeply culturally responsive approach. Every training and coaching session is tailored to honor the backgrounds and experiences of both educators and students, ensuring relevance and authenticity."