Ambassador
“Projects and programs such as [ARTEFFECT] build communication skills, collaboration skills, critical thinking skills, creativity, and empathy in students. As an ARTEFFECT Ambassador I will be able to communicate the value of having students participate in the ARTEFFECT competition at the teacher level, administrative level, and district level.”
Jayda Pugliese is the Principal/President of Nazareth Academy Grade School, a private Catholic elementary school in partnership with Holy Family University. She facilitates national and international professional development and training for schools, districts, and universities in best teaching practices; designing accessible instruction for diverse learners; STEAM-based technology integration for classrooms (e.g., 3D printing, design thinking, digital design, blended/remote learning practices); implementing effective leadership; utilizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in education and leadership; systems-wide strategic planning; and more.
Jayda was a 2023-2024 ARTEFFECT Ambassador, 2022 Fellow at the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, 2021 Performance Partner Program Participant within the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders, a 2019 finalist for Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, and a 2016 Milken Educator Award recipient. She holds a B.A. in Special Education and Elementary Education and an M.Ed. in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Literacy, and she is currently a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Administration, all from Holy Family University. Jayda also has severe hearing loss and wears bilateral hearing aids, using her personal experience to advocate for accessibility, inclusion, and empathy in education.
