Northstar
  School

Joel W. Dixon

Executive Director

Leadership Development

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Working with a group of people to make a difference in students’ lives is one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences you can have in life, and I feel so privileged to have joined this community of learners.  Having lived in Fort Worth when I was little, grown up in Spain, got my first degree in Oklahoma, and worked in Kenya and the UK (where I also got my Masters in Educational Leadership), I am so pleased to now be back in the US working at this fabulous school!  

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Throughout my career I’ve had the privilege of seeing a variety of educational models and been a part of various schools but I have always found that the best schools are those that are small and caring, where relationships matter and students are valued uniquely for who they are, where students’ best interests are at the center of decision-making, and where community is important.  When schools value their students and promote a culture of appreciating differences and broadening perspectives, then rich learning experiences flow naturally from that. This is exactly the type of school that I feel Northstar is. 

I am a firm believer in the fact that we are life-long learners, and we need to model this passion for learning and knowledge to our students in real ways.  Over the years I’ve been involved in a multitude of extra-curricular activities, lead and organized a number of overseas trips, coached students and organized tournaments for both soccer and chess, played in the orchestra with students during a musical performance, and gotten involved in fun activities to raise money for charity.  These have been invaluable events for students, further strengthening relationships of trust and highlighting the importance of enriching life experiences that can take students out of their comfort zones and teach them something new about themselves.

It is through observing and appreciating the differences between us that we are able to broaden students’ perspectives and truly give them a holistic education that prepares them for the complexities of our modern world.   I am passionate about developing students' ability and desire to learn through our leadership class.  Our aim and purpose at Northstar is that students will develop a sense of agency in their lives and discover both the world and their identity in the process.

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