Meet Dr. Shack

At Primer Liberty City, relationships come first. As the founding Campus Leader, Dr. Shack is building a school community where every student is known, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential. After more than 20 years in education, Dr. Shack joined Primer because its mission closely reflects her own philosophy: every child deserves to be seen, heard, valued, and challenged. Primer's commitment to Taking Kids Seriously aligns with the way she has always approached education, believing that when adults build meaningful relationships, set high expectations, and truly believe in children, students rise to meet those expectations.

Throughout her career, Dr. Shack has worked with students from kindergarten through eighth grade across a variety of subject areas. Her experience has given her a deep understanding of how children grow academically, socially, and emotionally at every stage of their educational journey. What inspires her most is the opportunity to build lasting relationships with students and watch them develop confidence in themselves. Whether helping a student overcome a challenge, discover a new strength, or celebrate a personal achievement, Dr. Shack believes these moments are what make education so rewarding.

As Campus Leader, Dr. Shack is committed to creating a learning environment where students feel safe, supported, and empowered every day. Her vision for Primer Liberty City is to build a school culture centered on strong relationships, create a safe, caring, and engaging learning environment, give students more voice, agency, and ownership of their learning, partner closely with families and the local community, support students' academic, social, and emotional growth, and ensure every child is known, valued, and supported. She believes education is about far more than academics. Her goal is for every student to leave Primer with confidence in their abilities, resilience when facing challenges, and a lifelong love of learning. Most importantly, she wants every child to know that their voice matters, their ideas have value, and they are capable of achieving great things. Dr. Shack's dedication to students has been recognized throughout her career. In 2013, she was named Duval County Teacher of the Year, and in 2014 she was honored as a Top Five Finalist for Florida Teacher of the Year. These achievements reflect her longstanding commitment to educational excellence and student success.

When she's not leading the Liberty City campus, Dr. Shack enjoys staying active and spending time with family. She comes from a family of singers and spent much of her childhood performing on the radio every Sunday morning alongside her siblings. Running is one of her greatest passions. She has earned more than 35 race medals and is currently training for the All-Women Marathon in New Orleans. Her favorite travel destination is The Bahamas, where she enjoys the beautiful beaches, vibrant culture, and time to relax and recharge. Dr. Shack brings decades of experience, a passion for children, and a deep commitment to the Liberty City community. Through strong relationships, high expectations, and a belief in every student's potential, she is helping create a school where students are inspired to grow, lead, and thrive.