Panther Lake Community,

Hello and welcome! My name is TJ Bell-Davis and I am honored to serve as the New Principal at Panther Lake Elementary for the 2019-20 school year.

I began my career in education more than 20 years ago when I was a college student at California State University-Bakersfield. Since then I have been an English Language Arts teacher in elementary, middle and high school. I have also been the center director of two tutoring centers and a facility director for three programs serving military children from birth to 18 years old. I also spent two years as an Assistant Principal in Tacoma Public Schools. My family and I have been in Washington for three years and we plan to settle in the area. 

I have two bachelor’s degrees; one is in Communications and the other is in English. I also have a master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Phoenix with two years of doctoral coursework. Last summer, I began my Leadership for Learning Ed.D. at the University of Washington-Seattle. As you can see, I have been attending school most of my life and I absolutely love to learn!

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be everything! I wanted to be an athlete, talk-show host and writer. Once I started college, I gained an interest in learning about other cultures through food, music and fashion. I have always been inspired by learning from other people. I want to share this love with the entire Panther Lake community!

My core beliefs are in direct alignment with the mission and vision of Federal Way Public Schools. I have high expectations and standards for all staff and every scholar. I believe in learning and leading with a culturally responsive lens. I am an adaptive leader that enjoys working with diverse groups of people and loves to learn right alongside the scholars. I embrace the challenges of meeting multiple goals, using data and networking with colleagues.

I am excited to become a “Panther” and join a school with rich history and pride! Let’s come together and strive to ensure that each scholar has a VOICE, a DREAM, and a BRIGHT future! The new assistant principal, Julie Moore, and I look forward to partnering with staff, families, and the school community for a wonderful 2019-2020 school year!  

Please check back for upcoming school events and don’t hesitate to reach out!  

Your Principal,

TJ Bell-Davis

253-945-3634