Jeanne Walker, new principal of Campbell High School, is looking forward to leading the school in a vibrant time of change.
“Smyrna is booming and we will be working to build community buy-in,” she said. “It’s an exciting time to be in Smyrna.”
“I am committed to ensuring our school excels as a cornerstone of the community,” she said.
A resident of Smyrna for 24 years, she has 20 years’ experience in education. She comes to Campbell from being principal at Tapp Middle School for 3 1/2 years.
A DeKalb County native, she graduated from Briarcliff High School and has attended Berry College, University of Kentucky, and University of Southern Mississippi.
Walker expects some 2,500 students to enroll at Campbell in the fall. Some 350 to 400 will be in the International Baccalaureate program and 250 are enrolled in the Junior ROTC program.
Dr. Walker began her new role June 1 after former Principal Denise McGee was transferred to Lindley 6th Grade Academy.
“There are a lot of good students who come here for the IB program,” she said. “We want to build on the service component. We also want to increase the AP (advanced placement) enrollment in the general student population.
She and her husband, Doug, have two children: Jessica who graduated Campbell in 2013 with an IB Diploma and attend the University of Georgia, and Davis, a senior in Campbell’s IB program.
“Our graduation rate is lower than it should be,” she said with the state ranking it at 66.7 percent. “But we are getting 90 percent through in four years.”
“We will work to improve and there are a lot of opportunities with virtual learning.”
School must play a pivotal role in developing leadership for the future.
I encourage each of you to support our students by actively participating in the school and helping our students to make a difference in the community.
She said the school would work to build a welcoming environment among students, facility and the community.
“The involvement (by students and parents) is important to the school,” she said. There are plans for some days of service before school starts “to put our best foot forward.”
“I feel very blessed to be leading a school with such a rich history of educational excellence and community involvement,” Walker said. I will strive to expand our students’ opportunities to excel in academics, athletics, and the arts.”
From the July 2015 issue of The Bright Side, Cobb County Georgia’s Newspaper covering Smyrna, Vinings, Mableton, Powder Springs and Austell, GA.
