His motivation to impact those around him began as an observation in college. A 2009 graduate of Michigan State, Dollison noticed a lot of people he knew around campus were no longer enrolled due to a variety of challenges.
“Ultimately, I realized that people were showing up to college but were ill-prepared,” Dollison said. “So I decided to go ahead and dedicate my life to education to make sure whatever institution I was in, students would be able to leave and be capable of being successful at whatever the next level is for them.”
This dedication has been driving Dollison ever since. He completed his Bachelor of Science in mathematics before moving to Colorado, serving scholars as a math teacher and a basketball coach. Dollison returned to teach math in his home state in 2015 and ultimately earned his Master's in Educational Leadership in 2020 from Grand Valley State University.
Returning to his roots was important to Dollison, who grew up in Detroit. He took on a role as a Dean at Westfield Prep in 2019 where his coaching focus shifted from students to his fellow educators. Whether leading students or colleagues, impacting his community motivates Dollison every day.
“Being a young person who grew up in the city of Detroit, I know the different challenges people face on an everyday basis,” he said. “I know the impact I can make and the impact I am making. I know that I make a difference.”
This influence is felt from his school community, which outperformed the local district in 2022-23. It’s safe to say parents also feel care and passion from Dollison. He stressed parental partnerships, noting that students benefit from having collective support from teachers, staff, and parents.
The foundation of Dollison’s coaching with students starts with his favorite Moral Focus virtue: respect. It is woven into every interaction he has, building a mutual trust with his school community to help scholars prepare for success in whatever comes after Westfield Prep.
“Having that respect allows for growth to happen,” Dollison said. “I’m trusting scholars to be able to invest in themselves and focus on their growth. Ultimately, we can’t get to that trust without mutual respect.”
Quick Facts:
- If you see Principal Dollison with his headphones in, he’s probably listening to hip hop or R&B; however, he tends to stick with music from his youth.
- Principal Dollison said he tries to eat healthy on a regular basis, but his favorite meal is a steak dinner.
- Sports are everywhere in Principal Dollison’s household. He said his favorite to play is basketball and his favorite to watch is football, especially Michigan State and the Lions. He also coaches his two children in five of the six sports they combine to play.
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About Westfield Preparatory High School
Westfield Preparatory High School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Redford, Michigan, serving students in seventh through 12th grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes more 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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