US/Global 
CAN
Jennifer Chastain
Dr. Jennifer Chastain is currently a principal in the Raymore-Peculiar School District located in the Kansas City area. In her 27-year career as an educator, she has served as a teacher in both private and public schools.
Jennifer Chastain
Dr. Jennifer Chastain is currently a principal in the Raymore-Peculiar School District located in the Kansas City area. In her 27-year career as an educator, she has served as a teacher in both private and public schools, worked as an assistant principal, and was the lead learner at Century Elementary, John Thomas School of Discovery, and Bridle Ridge Elementary. She is passionate about fostering a positive collaborative school culture where students and educators learn at high levels.
As principal of JTSD, a STEM-certified K–6 STEAM School, Dr. Chastain and her team were recognized as a Model PLC at Work® school in 2023. She co-created STEAM-U, a professional learning group, to train area educators on effective teaching strategies. She has also presented at the Model Schools Conference in Nashville in 2017 and Orlando in 2022.
Dr. Chastain partnered with Missouri State University (MSU) to implement the first yearlong student teaching program in southwest Missouri.This partnership has developed strong teaching candidates. For her work with this program, she received the Transformational Leader Award in 2020 from MSU.
Her other awards include the International STEM Education Association and the STEM School of Excellence award, as well as a Department of Agriculture grant of $300,000 to enhance her school’s gardening program. Most recently, Dr. Chastain was featured in the August 2023 AllThingsPLC Magazine article “The Story of John Thomas School of Discovery.”
Dr. Chastain received her bachelor’s degree from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, and earned her specialist and doctorate degrees from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri. She also serves as an adjunct professor for her alma mater.
PLC at Work®
PLC at Work® experts have proven success in leading the PLC at Work process in a school or district. Work with them to implement a focus on learning, build a collaborative culture, and create a results orientation that leads to sustained, substantive school improvement.
