ELMP Doctoral Student Lands Director Position

A Seton Hall doctoral student, Oona Marie Adams, Ed.S. '24, who graduated from Seton Hall's Education Leadership, Management and Policy (ELMP) Ed.S. program, is currently in the Ed.S. in K-12 ELMP program. Notably, Adams was just installed as the Director of English Language Arts (ELA) for Millburn Township Public Schools. In her new role, Adams oversees English Language Arts curriculum, instruction, articulation, professional learning, intervention and enrichment.

When asked about her studies at Seton Hall and its impact on her career, Adams noted, "What drew me to Seton Hall was its commitment to social responsibility, because as a classroom teacher for more than two decades, I was drawn to servant leadership. What also drew me to the program as a busy working mom was the flexibility of its hybrid delivery, and a willingness of the program leaders to listen to feedback. In the final semester of my Ed.S. program, I began searching for a district leadership position. During that year, I decided to pursue my doctoral degree at Seton Hall."

Adams also explained the reasoning for continuing her education at Seton Hallis the cohort, which meets in person several weekends each semester, and was constituted of a diverse group of educators, including classroom teachers, and district or building leaders. It was that doctoral coursework that gave Adams the clarity and insights she needed as a leader to shape her vision further as a literacy leader.

"Oona infuses her love of literacy into her academic and professional work. She has enriched our graduate programs with her thoughtfulness and creativity," said Randall F. Clemens, Ph.D., associate professor and department chairperson, Department of Education Leadership, Management and Policy at Seton Hall. "Through her many accomplishments, she exemplifies dedication to teaching and learning. I'm thankful that, in her new role, she will have an even larger platform to share her passion for the language arts and increase students' love for words and stories,"

Prior to this role, Abrams was the K-12 ELA Supervisor in Pequannock Township. She was also a long-time English teacher and has been actively involved in ELA and literacy associations and conferences.

From 2014 until 2018, Oona edited English Leadership Quarterly, the journal of the Council on English Leadership. Her writing has also been published in Imaginative Teaching through Creative Writing, Educational Viewpoints, New Jersey English Journal, and Educational Leadership. A founding organizer of Nerd Camp New Jersey, she is also a member of the Literary Together (Lit-Together) Think Tank and a staff developer at the Paramus Summer Literacy Institute.

Categories: Education