Meet our Admin Team

It is my honor and privilege to serve as the principal of Sudley Elementary School. I am excited to begin my fourth year as principal and to continue working alongside our dedicated staff, students, families, and community to make Sudley a place where every child feels valued, supported, and inspired to reach their fullest potential.

My career in education began in the elementary classroom, where I spent 10 years teaching third, fourth, and fifth grades. Those years helped shape my belief that strong relationships, high expectations, and meaningful learning experiences are at the heart of student success. I have since had the privilege of serving as a school administrator for 14½ years, working to support students, educators, and families while building positive and engaging school communities.

Family is also an important part of who I am. I am blessed with a blended family of five children, all of whom are now grown and leading successful lives in different parts of the world. Watching them grow and pursue their own paths has strengthened my appreciation for the important role that families and educators play in helping children discover their strengths, develop confidence, and prepare for their futures.

I am extremely proud and excited to continue this journey at Sudley Elementary School. Each day brings another opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of our children. I remain committed to creating a school environment where students are challenged academically, cared for personally, celebrated for who they are, and encouraged to dream big.

I look forward to another wonderful year of learning, growing, and achieving together with the entire Sudley Elementary School community.

Hello, Roadrunners! I’m Jason Shepard, and I’m thrilled to begin my second year as an Assistant Principal at Sudley!

My journey in education began at Lock Haven University, where I attended from 1998–2003. I later earned my Gifted Education Endorsement from the University of Virginia in 2006 and my master's degree in School Leadership from George Mason University in 2015.

Before moving into administration, I spent three wonderful years teaching 4th grade, followed by 18 years with the PWCS Elementary Gifted/Talent Development Program. Eventually, I decided that 21 years of working directly with students had prepared me for the obvious next step: attending lots of meetings and carrying a walkie-talkie. I served as an Administrative Intern at Signal Hill Elementary before joining the Sudley family as an Assistant Principal during the 2025–26 school year.

Outside of school, my wife, Laura, and I have three daughters: Shelby, Hailey, and Colby. Shelby graduated from Virginia Tech in 2024 and is now pursuing her master’s degree in nursing at Johns Hopkins University. Hailey recently graduated from San Diego State University and decided to remain in San Diego. Apparently, when given the choice between beautiful beaches and perfect weather or coming back East, she chose “paradise.” We’re still trying not to take it personally. Colby is entering 11th grade at Osbourn Park High School.

We also have a 110-pound Goldendoodle named Atticus. Atticus did not attend college and holds no advanced degrees, but he has conducted extensive independent research on how to make four humans do exactly what he wants. His findings have been remarkably successful.

When I’m not at school, I enjoy attending concerts. This summer included Dave Matthews Band, Mumford & Sons, Lord Huron, and Chance Peña, so my concert calendar has been doing quite well.

My sports teams, unfortunately, have not always been as cooperative.

I faithfully follow the New York Yankees, Penn State Nittany Lions, Cleveland Browns, Liverpool, and the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team. This collection of teams has provided me with years of excitement, hope, character development, and a completely unnecessary amount of stress. Being a Cleveland Browns fan in particular has taught me perseverance, an important quality for any educator.

Most importantly, I am extremely excited for the 2026–27 school year and my second year as a Sudley Roadrunner. I feel fortunate to be part of this wonderful community and look forward to working with our students, families, and staff.

Please know that my door is always open. If you ever have a question, concern, need assistance, or simply want to say hello, please reach out. I’m always happy to help.

Here’s to a fantastic year. Go Roadrunners!

Hello, Sudley Elementary families and community!

My name is Jennifer Bonkoski, and I am proud to be part of the Sudley Elementary School community. I have dedicated more than 24 years to education, serving students, families, and educators in a variety of roles, including special education teacher, classroom teacher, STEM teacher and science coach, mentor, and school leader.

Sudley holds a special place in my heart. I spent many years here as a first-grade teacher and later as Sudley’s STEM Teacher and Science Coach, where I had the opportunity to collaborate with teachers across grade levels, mentor new educators, coach robotics teams, and create hands-on STEM experiences for our students. Those experiences strengthened my belief that schools are at their best when students, families, teachers, and staff work together as a community.

As a school leader, I am passionate about creating an environment where every student feels valued, supported, challenged, and capable of success. I believe strong relationships are at the heart of great schools. I am committed to supporting high-quality instruction, using data to help students grow, developing and empowering teachers, and ensuring that our school is a welcoming and inclusive place for every child and family.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Master of Science in Special Education from Radford University and my Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Mary Washington.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, getting lost in a good book, and gardening. I’m also an animal lover, with plenty of fur balls at home! And if you’ve spent any time in Sudley’s lobby, you may have already met one of my shelled babies, Turbo! I value opportunities to relax, laugh, and make memories with the people I care about. These moments help me recharge and remind me of the importance of relationships, connection, and finding joy in the little things.

It is a privilege to continue serving the Sudley community in a leadership role. I look forward to partnering with our students, staff, families, and community as we continue building a school where every child can learn, grow, and thrive.