Owens Patterson is long time educator
By Mark Hebert
July 31, 2023—The interim principal at Western Middle School for the Arts (WMSFA) has been named the new principal. Dr. Nayasha Owens Patterson begins her new, permanent role leading the school today.
“Dr. Owens Patterson has a vision and a passion for the arts and academic achievement at Western Middle School for the Arts,” said Dr. Rob Fulk, assistant superintendent of middle schools. “We are thrilled to have her continue the culture of excellence at Western.”
Owens Patterson has a 17-year career in education. She began teaching high school social studies in Fayette County in 2006 before moving to Louisville and Thomas Jefferson Middle School in 2011. A three-year stint as a teacher in Georgia was followed by a return to JCPS in 2020, where Owens Patterson was a Behavior Resource Teacher before taking the role as Assistant Principal at WMSFA in 2021.
“I am blessed and excited to continue serving our amazing staff, students, and families at WMSFA as school principal,” Owens Patterson said. “I am committed to continuing and building upon the solid systems we have implemented to improve student outcomes and to ensure that WMSFA remains a beautifully diverse school where every student performs at high levels academically and artistically.”
Owens Patterson has a total of five degrees from Kentucky State University (KSU), Georgetown College, University of the Cumberlands, and Kennesaw State University. She has a background in music and was a soloist in the national award-winning KSU Gospel Ensemble.
“Dr. Owens Patterson’s extensive background in arts education, curriculum development, and student-centered learning will serve her well at Western,” Fulk said. “Her commitment to the growth and development of students is superior.”
“As principal, my priority is to intensify our focus on rigorous instruction, cultivate an equitable environment for artistic excellence, remove any barriers to success for each of our students, and nurture a culture of respect through relationships, trust, and high expectations for our staff and students,” Owens Patterson said. “I am humbled, yet confident and ready to lead forward the first full visual and performing arts magnet middle school in Jefferson County.”