Standing in front of Wantagh Elementary School on a sunny, early August morning, Briana James was joyful and proud at having been appointed as the new principal. She returns to the Wantagh School District where she previously served as an elementary teacher and assistant principal.

A Long Island native, Ms. James began her career in education as a teacher in Boston’s AmeriCorps program, remaining in the area after undergraduate and graduate school. Upon returning to Long Island, she taught for two years as a leave replacement teacher at both Wantagh Elementary School and Forest Lake Elementary School. Following this experience, Ms. James taught elementary grades in the North Shore School District for more than a decade before returning to Wantagh as the assistant principal of Wantagh Elementary from 2019-2021. For the past five years, she served as principal of Maud S. Sherwood Elementary School in Islip. 

She shared that the principal position opening at Wantagh Elementary School “called to her” and she was drawn to return to her roots and work with its incredibly dedicated faculty and staff. Ms. James strives to lead with a focus on the whole child. 

“I pride myself on being an instructional leader, but I also strongly believe that children need time to be children,” she said. “It is our responsibility as educators to provide opportunities for all children to grow and learn, and I see it as my responsibility to lead in that effort. I am very excited to have this full circle moment in Wantagh and I pledge to work hard to create opportunities for children to succeed, for teachers to support their students and for parents to be involved.”

A parent herself to two children, ages 7 and 10, she remains keenly aware of the trust that parents place in educators, which guides her as a school leader each and every day. Ms. James describes herself as a “boots on the ground” leader who enjoys working, learning and having fun right alongside students.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the College of the Holy Cross, a master's degree in elementary education from Boston College and administrative certification from Dowling College. Ms. James is a member of the Association of Elementary School Principals and the Association for the Supervision of Curriculum Development and she has traveled as far as Finland to study best educational practices for teachers and students. 

“Ms. James’ return to Wantagh Elementary brings together her proven record as a visionary elementary principal and her enduring heart for the Wantagh community,” Superintendent John McNamara said. “Her collaborative leadership style, commitment to high academic standards and focus on nurturing the whole child make her the perfect fit to lead Wantagh Elementary School into its next bright chapter.”