Clarke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Xernona Thomas on Friday announced that Tracy Neal has been chosen as the as the new principal of Chase Street Elementary School following unanimous approval by the Board of Education at Thursday night’s board meeting.
She succeeds Angela Jackson, who is retiring after serving 39 years in the Clarke County School District.
"This morning, Ms. Neal was warmly received following her official introduction as the new leader to the school’s faculty and staff by district leadership," the scool district stated in a Friday afternoon news release.
“Ms. Neal made an immediate connection with the interview team who appreciated her experience with older students and educational leadership across the Southeastern United States and abroad,” Thomas said in the release. “I know the school community is excited to work with her and continue the tradition of excellence at Chase Street Elementary.”
Currently an assistant principal at Clarke Middle School, Neal was selected with the assistance of Chase Street’s Local School Governance Team (LSGT), which recommended candidates to move forward in the hiring process. Neal previously served as a principal in Henry County, then was recruited to serve as the founding principal at a new school in Abu Dhabi in the United Aram Emirates, and was later promoted to a principal supervisor of a cluster of schools prior to returning stateside to be closer to her family.
Her education includes a BS in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University (1997) and an MA in Educational Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy (2001).