Deep Creek Elementary

Mr. Vernon

Principal

A smiling man dressed in a blue shirt and tie, radiating positivity and approachability.

James Vernon is the Principal of Deep Creek Elementary School. He is married to Joanne Vernon who is the County Engineer for Charlotte County and they have two daughters that attend school in the Charlotte County Public School system. The Vernons love traveling and visiting different cities in the US, eventually that travel will lead overseas. Mr. Vernon has never doubted a career in education and strives to promote a positive culture at the DCE campus each day.

Mr. Vernon is a proud product of CCPS attending both Peace River and Neil Armstrong Elementary Schools, Murdock Middle School, and achieving high school graduation from Port Charlotte High. He achieved a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Florida State University. During his career, he has taught grades ranging from 3rd – 12th, coached middle school and high school basketball, served as Dean of Students at Murdock Middle School and the Athletic Director at Port Charlotte High. Mr. Vernon continued his education by earning a Master of Education with a focus on Educational Leadership at Nova South Eastern University. Mr. Vernon accepted his first Elementary leadership at Deep Creek in 2014.

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Mrs. Jaekel

A woman in a black top, showcasing her short hair, exuding a sense of poise and self-assurance.

Jessica Jaekel is the Assistant Principal at Deep Creek Elementary. Mrs. Jaekel is married and has one son who is excited about attending school at Deep Creek when he is old enough. When Mrs. Jaekel is away from school, she enjoys getting wrapped up in household projects like home improvements, organization, and gardening. She also loves shopping for home décor, especially décor that is seasonally themed.

Mrs. Jaekel grew up on the East coast of Virginia and always loved playing “school”. She knew she wanted to be a teacher from a very young age. After high school, Mrs. Jaekel attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. There, she obtained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Early Childhood Education. She received her Educational Specialist’s degree in K-12 School Leadership from Regent University. Mrs. Jaekel believes that education and learning should never stop. She is currently pursuing another graduate degree from Regent University and hopes to complete the program soon.

Mrs. Jaekel has taught in a variety of grade levels and programs including ESE and high achievers. Mrs. Jaekel is also trained in Reading Recovery. Before joining Deep Creek as the Assistant Principal, Mrs. Jaekel served as an instructional coach and lead teacher for seven years, giving her the opportunity to help guide and grow teachers through professional development and classroom modeling.