Dogwood
Elementary School
Meet Our Administrators
Jessica Woody, Principal
Dogwood is special because of the people who walk through the doors every day. We simply have the best students, families, teachers, and staff. Every person comes to work to do what is best for our children!
Jessica Woody has dedicated 25 years to the field of education, bringing a wealth of experience and passion to her role as principal of Dogwood Elementary. Her career began as a middle school teacher. Over the years, she expanded her impact by serving as a new teacher supervisor and later as an assistant principal, roles in which she mentored educators and contributed to school-wide success.
Ms. Woody earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and her Master of Science in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis. Her academic background, combined with her hands-on experience, fuels her commitment to creating a thriving school environment.
What drives her is the knowledge that the work done each day positively impacts children and their families. Looking to the future, she aspires to write books and share her expertise by teaching pre-service teachers at the university level.
Outside of her professional life, she enjoys traveling, baking, and reading. She also treasures time spent with her daughter.
Joye Phipps, Assistant Principal
Dogwood is such a happy place where everyone works together to help wherever needed.
Joye Phipps brings 22 years of experience in education to her role as Assistant Principal at Dogwood Elementary School. Her career journey includes serving as a middle school teacher at Houston Middle, as well as a STEM teacher and gifted teacher at HMS, and RTI coach at Dogwood.
Ms. Phipps earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Memphis and continued her education at Union University, where she completed both her Master of Education (M.Ed.) and Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees.
She loves working with teachers, and one of her goals is to become a more active member in the PLC process. She enjoys learning new ways to support students and teachers.
Outside of school, she enjoys collecting and learning about houseplants, a hobby that combines her love for growth and nurturing.
Roya Perkins, Assistant Principal
Dogwood is like a family. Everyone cares so much about each other and wants the very best for our students. I have never been in a place that always goes above and beyond for anyone who walks in the building.
Roya Perkins brings 15 years of experience in education to her role as Assistant Principal at Dogwood Elementary School. Before transitioning into administration, Ms. Perkins was a dedicated special education teacher in the high school setting, where she developed a passion for fostering growth and success for all learners.
Ms. Perkins earned her undergraduate degree with an emphasis in Teaching all Learners from the University of Memphis and went on to complete her Master’s in Instructional Leadership at Cumberland University.
Her favorite part of the job is “getting to support teachers while still having the ability to support students and be with them each day,” reflecting her commitment to creating a positive and collaborative learning environment for the entire Dogwood community.
Outside of school, Ms. Perkins enjoys spending time with her family and traveling, finding joy in exploring new places and creating lasting memories.
Decorative Rule