New principal at Waynesville Middle School
Maggie King. Haywood County photo
The Haywood County School Board moved quickly to approve a new principal for Waynesville Middle School after the sudden departure of previous Principal Jennifer Reeves.
“The one thing I heard from Waynesville Middle School is ‘we need somebody fast, let’s get them in place.’ That’s one reason we wanted to have this meeting quickly and we got an excellent candidate,” said Chairman Chuck Francis. “Congratulations, we’re very proud of you and we know you’ll do a great job.”
At the Oct. 30 meeting of the Haywood County Board of Education, the board unanimously accepted Superintendent Trevor Putnam’s recommendation to appoint Maggie King the principal of Waynesville Middle School. According to Putnam, Reeves left her post to care for her parents whose health was declining.
“[Maggie King] has worked extremely hard, she did extremely well in the interview,” said Putnam. “She has a vast knowledge of middle school experience and expertise. So welcome Maggie King as principal at Waynesville Middle School.”
“I am truly humbled to have been chosen to lead Waynesville Middle School, thank you all,” King said following her appointment. “There is so much good that happens in the walls of our Mountie Nation and I am honored and excited to get to help tell those stories. From our acclaimed teachers to our diverse student groups, Waynesville Middle is a great place to be.”
King graduated from Western Carolina University with her undergraduate degree in 2010 and began teaching in Caldwell County. Upon getting a job at Riverbend Elementary, King moved with her family to Haywood County. She taught second and fifth grades at Riverbend in addition to being the after-school director. Later she began graduate school at WCU and was a North Carolina Principal Fellow. During that time King served under Casey Kruk, principal at Canton Middle School.
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“I want to thank my previous leaders for helping me grow into someone deemed ready and worthy for such a great job,” King said. “Their influence of leadership continues to grow in me and through me. Thank you to Jill Chambers, to Casey Kruk, to Graham Haynes, to Casey Conard and to Jennifer Reeves. Your part in develop ing this teacher into someone who leads from the heart is appreciated.”
After graduating from WCU’s Masters of School Administration program King obtained a split position between both Canton and Waynesville Middle School as an assistant principal until this year when she was fully employed at Waynesville Middle.
“It is a great honor to get to work in the midst of Haywood’s finest teachers,” said King. “I am dedicated to helping our team make data informed decisions towards success. I know that I am someone who wants the absolute best for these kids and teach ers. I love sitting beside the teachers and talking about curriculum and instructional practices just as much as I love checking on the students in the halls, at lunch and in their classes.”
King acknowledges that middle grades are tough years when taking into consideration the physical and emotional changes that students undergo during the three years. She says she asks two things of her students everyday — that they work hard and be kind.
“I truly believe that if they can do these two things and strive for them, they will see success,” said King.
In the days ahead King plans to take time to listen to the team that she has joined as a leader. Just last week she had lunch with the student council leaders to talk about future goals and ways to invite parents with their kids into the school.
“It was great to sit with three eighth-grade leaders,” King said. “I heard from our students and learned directly from them what their needs are and what their vision is.”
King is also visiting with each grade level and team to listen and learn from them too.
“We are a school that accomplished greatness each day from welcoming students by name to extending great learning opportunities and lessons to our students,” King said. “I look forward to working with the staff here for many years to continue lifting the positive work that happens every day.”
“Thank you to each of you for allowing me this great privilege to lead a dynamic group of staff and students to dare greatly,” King told the board following her appointment. “I will work with them and for them every single day.
