Teacher, coach, principal, and theater sensation James Ellis of Ramona Middle School in La Verne, California.
Throughout our country, there are many dedicated educators who also exhibit talent in arenas outside the classroom. One of these is James Ellis, a junior high school educator who also participates in theatrical productions.
James has been interested in the theater ever since he was a young man. “What got me hooked was getting to put on another persona and living someone’s truth on stage while telling their story,” he asserts. Among his favorite roles are Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden, Lord Farquad in Shrek, and Gus Growltiger in Cats. He is currently working on his first Shakespeare production.
James was born to parents who were educators. He is the son of a fourth grade teacher and an economics professor. James was raised in Pawnee, a rural town in central Illinois that boasts a population of 2,300. His hometown was so small, there were no theaters, no stoplights, and no fast food joints. His high school had only 170 students, and his graduating class had only 36 students.
Once James graduated from high school, he enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Speech Communication. He also honed his skills as a gymnast. Later he earned his Master’s degree at the University of La Verne in southern California.
After graduating from college, James relocated to the city of Covina in southern California, where he accepted a position coaching gymnastics. One of his students was a nationally ranked future Olympian. James also worked as a substitute teacher. In time, he was hired as a part-time teacher at San Dimas High School, where he taught mathematics. He impressed his supervisors so much that they offered him a position as ASB Director. During his eight years there, he added teaching drama and coaching cheerleading to his resume.
In 2006, James moved into administration when he accepted a position as an Assistant Principal of Ramona Middle School in La Verne. Four years later he became the principal of Gladstone Elementary in San Dimas, and in 2017 he returned to Ramona to lead the school as its principal. “You have to have a sense of humor to work at a middle school,” James declares. “We work hard and we laugh a lot. What more can someone ask for in a career?”
You can read more about the amazing James Ellis from this article published by La Verne Online.
