Honestly, if you live in Gwinnett, you’ve probably seen those press releases from the district. They look pretty standard, right? A name, a photo, a list of degrees, and a "we are excited to welcome X to the team" quote. But when you dig into the recent Gwinnett Board of Education principal appointments, there is a lot more going on beneath the surface than just filling a vacancy. We aren't just talking about a change in the front office; we’re looking at a massive shift in how the largest school district in Georgia plans to handle its future.
Leadership changes here are constant. That’s just the nature of having 140+ schools.
But 2025 and 2026 have been different. Since the Board voted 3-2 to terminate Dr. Calvin J. Watts’ contract—which was a huge deal back in January 2025—the vibe has changed. Dr. Al Taylor stepped in as Interim Superintendent in April 2025, and he’s been steering a ship that is increasingly focused on internal grooming and "Quality-Plus" leadership. It’s a specific kind of Gwinnett flavor that you won't find in neighboring districts like Fulton or DeKalb.
Who is actually running your kids' schools now?
Let’s look at the actual names on the roster. In the last year or so, we’ve seen some major moves. One that stands out is Jeremy M. Reily. He’s been the principal at Bay Creek Middle, but the Board just tapped him to be the first-ever principal of the new Murphy Middle School. He starts that inaugural role in January 2026. This is a big "anchor" appointment. When the district builds a new school, they don't just pick anyone; they pick someone who has been through the "Quality-Plus Leader Academy." Reily is a graduate of both the Aspiring Leader and Aspiring Principal programs (Cohorts 12 and 11, respectively).
Then you have Wendy C. McDonald. She’s taking over Gwin Oaks Elementary in January 2026, replacing Dr. Craig Barlow, who’s retiring. If you look at her path, she was an Assistant Principal at Trickum Middle. This is a classic Gwinnett move: moving a middle school leader to an elementary spot to bring some of that "rigor" down to the younger grades.
It’s a pattern.
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The 2025 "New Guard" of Gwinnett Leaders
If you missed the board meetings over the last few months, here is a quick run-down of some of the most recent Gwinnett Board of Education principal appointments that are shaping the current school year:
- Alex "Hunter" H. McRae: He’s the new face at Jordan Middle as of January 2026. He was previously the Assistant Director of Community Schools. It’s interesting to see the district pull someone from the "Division of School Improvement and Operations" back into a building-level role.
- Bridgett S. Brown: Now at Lovin Elementary. She moved over from being an AP at Lawrenceville Elementary.
- Felisha E. Witcher-Caldwell: She took the reins at Richards Middle, replacing Mark McCain. She was an AP right there at Richards before getting the top spot.
- Dr. Noreen A. Freeman: Now leading Hopkins Elementary after a stint at Lilburn Elementary.
There's a lot of "moving parts" here. Sometimes it feels like a game of musical chairs. For instance, Kevin Payne moved from Lovin Elementary over to Baggett Elementary, which opened up the spot for Bridgett Brown. People think these appointments are random or just based on who knows who, but the district is actually obsessed with its "Aspiring Principal Program" (APP).
Why the "Quality-Plus Leader Academy" matters
You’ll see this phrase in almost every single appointment announcement: "a graduate of the Quality-Plus Leader Academy." It sounds like corporate jargon, but it’s basically Gwinnett’s version of West Point for school administrators.
The district doesn't really like hiring from the outside for principal roles. They want people who have been through their specific system of "Performance Standards." If you aren't in a "Cohort," your chances of getting a principal job in GCPS are slim to none. This creates a very stable, but also very insular, culture. Critics sometimes say it leads to "groupthink," while supporters argue it’s the reason Gwinnett stays so consistent despite its massive size.
Kinda makes sense, right? If you’re managing 180,000 students, you want everyone reading from the same playbook.
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What most people get wrong about the process
People often show up to Board meetings thinking they can "protest" a principal appointment. Honestly? By the time it hits the Board agenda, the deal is basically done.
The real work happens months before. The "Chief of Schools" (currently Jay Nebel in an interim capacity) and the Cluster Superintendents do the interviewing. They vet the candidates against the "Blueprint for the Future" which focuses on empathy, equity, and effectiveness. The Board of Education—Simmons, Knudsen, Tareen, Johnson, and Blair—usually just votes on the recommendation of the Superintendent.
Rarely do you see a Board member reject a principal recommendation unless there is some massive community outcry or a background check issue that wasn't caught. It’s a "Governance Team" model.
The "Interim" shadow over everything
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Right now, the district is in a state of transition. With Dr. Al Taylor serving as Interim Superintendent through April 2026, every Gwinnett Board of Education principal appointment carries a bit more weight.
Are these permanent appointments? Yes. But they are being made under a temporary administration while the Board searches for a permanent Superintendent. This has created some tension. Some community members feel the Board should wait to make big leadership changes until a permanent Superintendent is in place. Others argue that schools can’t just sit in limbo without a leader.
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Actionable steps for parents and staff
If your school just got a new principal, or you see one on the upcoming Board agenda, don't just wait for the first PTA meeting to meet them.
First, check which "Cohort" they were in. If they are from a recent Aspiring Principal Program cohort (like Cohort 17 or 18), they are likely very well-versed in the newest "Blueprint" strategies, which focus heavily on social-emotional learning and data-driven instruction.
Second, look at where they came from. Did they come from within your "cluster"? Gwinnett is divided into clusters (like the Brookwood cluster or the Norcross cluster). If a principal is moved from one cluster to another, they might bring a very different "culture" with them.
Finally, keep an eye on the Board's monthly "Summary Reports." These are usually posted a few days after the third Thursday of the month. That’s where the "Leadership Appointments" are buried at the bottom of the PDF. If you want to know who is running your school next year, that’s where you find the news first—usually months before the official "Welcome" letter goes home in your kid's backpack.
It’s easy to get lost in the bureaucracy of GCPS. But at the end of the day, these principal appointments are the most direct way the Board of Education affects your child’s daily life. A principal sets the tone for the whole building. Whether it’s Jeremy Reily starting fresh at Murphy Middle or Wendy McDonald taking the torch at Gwin Oaks, these leaders are the ones who actually have to turn the Board’s high-level "Blueprint" into actual classroom reality.
Keep your eyes on the Board meetings in early 2026. With several veteran principals hinting at retirement and new schools like Murphy Middle coming online, we’re about to see another wave of appointments that will define Gwinnett education for the next decade.