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A.L. Brown principal steps into central office role
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Published: July 10, 2009
Updated: 07/08/2009 03:00 am
KANNAPOLIS — Debra Morris is still getting used to not having students around.
Today is the start of her second week as the assistant superintendent for Kannapolis City Schools after serving as principal at A. L. Brown High School for four years.
"You are around adults all the time, which is a big change for me," Morris said.
She spent the days leading up to her transition spending time with the staff and making sure things were in order for Kevin Garay, the new principal at A. L. Brown who has worked with her there for four years and previously for Lincoln County Schools.
"(Garay) is going to be just fine," Morris said. "I know he has the passion for the job, and he has the greatest staff in the world, and I think that is the key to your success."
Morris said she has tried to model what makes an effective leader and knows Garay has learned from her mistakes. The one piece of advice she gave him was to continue to lead with his heart.
As she is transitioning into her new role, Morris also received some advice from her predecessor, Peggy Wagstaff, who retired this year.
"Peggy was also a principal (before), and she told me to get in the schools as much as you can," Morris said.
Morris has already started taking Wagstaff's advice. Before her first day on July 1, and since she began, Morris has visited several schools, something she said she never did when she first came to Kannapolis City Schools.
She received her bachelor of arts in English from Appalachian State University and her master's degree in English from UNC Charlotte. Morris earned another master's degree in school administration and her doctorate, both from UNC Charlotte.
She began her teaching career in Surry and Union County school systems as an English teacher. Morris was then made assistant principal at South Iredell High School and later principal at West Lincoln High School.
She served as the high school director of secondary education in Lincoln County Schools before coming to A.L. Brown as principal in 2005.
Morris said she talked to Wagstaff and Pat Woods, director of secondary education and workforce development, at a conference, and they were responsible for her coming to Kannapolis City Schools.
Morris said it is ironic that she is now stepping in Wagstaff's former position but added that she has big shoes to fill.
"In this position, I want to leave a legacy like Peggy Wagstaff," Morris said. "I want to be that person to do everything to help the staff and administrators get what they need."
Instead of "putting out fires" all day as she did in her role as principal, Morris is looking forward to having time to look at data and help write grants.
She will be responsible for the curriculum instruction for grades pre-K through 12, student services, federal programs, student assessment, exceptional children programs and instructional technology, said Superintendent Jo Anne Byerly.
"It's a big job and very important to the success of our school system," Byerly said. "She'll do a great job."
While she will miss the students, Morris welcomes the slower pace of this job.
Throughout the past year, she has had almost two full-time jobs, she said. She was named the Wachovia North Carolina Principal of the Year in 2008 and traveled often over the past year to fulfill her duties.
"I was very honored, but it was extremely tiring," Morris said. "This is a good change for me at the right time."
Morris said that as she gets closer to retirement, she wants to have an effect on a larger scale. But she will not approach this with any less effort than she has for other positions.
"I'm going to give this job 100 percent," Morris said.
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