CRESTVIEW — There’s a new head Owl at Walker Elementary School, but she has a familiar face. Lorna Carnley, Walker's assistant principal the past two years.
“There won’t be any drastic changes — maybe some small changes a little at a time — because Miss (Jeanine) Kirkland did a wonderful job running this school,” Carnley said of the retiree. “We already had that transition relationship and had started setting goals for it together.”
However, one big change will affect all students from kindergarten through fifth grade: “This year we’re opening a science lab,” Carnley said. “We have a big science initiative to push our students over the top.”
Students will conduct experiments and demonstrations appropriate to their respective grades. Included will be a practical lesson in life circles that “combines academics and fun,” Carnley said.
In addition, “We’re going to plant our own pumpkin patch,” she said. “Our hope is every class can go to our pumpkin garden and pick a pumpkin for their classroom.”
There is one more difference students may notice right away. Physical education teacher Trouretha Henry, who’d been at Walker for almost 25 years, ever since the school opened, retired. “We welcome back Jill Adams as our P.E. coach,” Carnley said. “She’s returning home.”
Adams was recently Riverside Elementary School’s P.E. teacher, but had been at Walker for several years until she transferred.
Carnley chose "Super Heroes" for this year’s theme, with T-shirts praising Walker’s “Super school; Super students; Super staff; Super year.”
“Our parents and the community support us so well, we can’t have anything but a super year,” Carnley said.
“I want Walker to be academically challenging and family-oriented,” she said, “just as it’s always been.”
MEET LORNA CARNLEY
Here’s a look at the new Walker Elementary School principal’s career:
1985: Graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School
1992: Began teaching at Baker School
2012: Assistant principal at Baker School
2013: Assistant principal at Walker Elementary
2015: Walker Elementary principal
THE DAVIDSON CONNECTION
Walker Elementary School Principal Lorna Carnley shares a connection with Davidson Middle School and its new principal, Jay Sanders. He introduced Carnley to her husband, David Carnley, a Davidson teacher and sports coach. Lorna Carnley and Jay Sanders also taught at Baker School at the same time.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Walker Elementary students get new principal, science lab