Two new principals are on the way to being hired in the Muscogee County School District
Two schools will have new principals if the Muscogee County School District Board approves their appointments at this month’s meeting.
The board is scheduled to vote April 17 on the following recommendations from MCSD superintendent David Lewis:
Sonya Allen to succeed Marvin Crumbs as principal of Columbus High School.
Duane Wizzard to succeed Lance Henderson as principal of Richards Middle School.
The agenda doesn’t explain why Crumbs and Henderson are leaving their positions, but Lewis told the L-E in an email Tuesday that Crumbs is departing at the end of the school year to accept a position as principal of Marietta High School “to be closer to his adult children, who both reside in Atlanta.”
The Marietta Daily Journal reported March 27 that Crumbs’ salary will be $190,000. His salary as of Nov. 2 was $129,267, according to the database of all MCSD employee salaries the L-E published in January.
Henderson is retiring June 30, Lewis said.
This story will be updated when Crumbs, Henderson, Allen and Wizzard answer the questions the L-E emailed to them.
The following information about Allen and Wizzard comes from the agenda and their resumes, which are attached to the agenda:
Sonya Allen
Allen has been an assistant principal at Columbus High since 2015. Also at the school, she chaired the English department for five years, served as senior project coordinator for one year, taught humanities and senior project for eight years and English literature for two years. She was the school’s Teacher of the Year in 2013.
She previously taught English language arts at Baker Middle School from 2002-05.
Allen also has worked as a legal secretary for Judge Gil McBride and a management intern at GEICO.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in English from Mercer University, Allen earned three degrees at Columbus State University: master’s and specialist’s degrees in teaching English, plus an educational leadership degree. The years in which she obtained those degrees aren’t provided.
Duane Wizzard
Wizzard has worked in MCSD since 2007, including as an assistant principal at Jordan Vocational High School since 2019.
He previously was student support team coordinator at East Columbus Magnet Academy (2017-18), MCSD local education agency representative (2016-17), East Columbus special education department chairman (2012-16), East Columbus special education teacher (2007-16), and adult education and basic skills instructor at Chattahoochee Valley Community College (2012-19).
Wizzard earned a bachelor’s degree in film and media communications from Hunter College in 2003, a master’s degree in special education from Columbus State University in 2011 and a specialist’s degree in special education from the University of West Georgia in 2014. In 2019, he enrolled in a doctoral program for education curriculum and leadership at CSU.
Lewis told the board during Monday night’s work session that Wizzard successfully defended his dissertation and now has his doctorate. That was the only comment Lewis made about these recommendations during the work session. No board members asked him questions about these recommendations during the work session.
Rationale for recommendations
Allen and Wizzard were selected among a pool of 26 applicants, from which 11 were interviewed, Lewis said. Pending board approval, they would assume their new positions July 1.
Lewis said he is recommending Allen to succeed Crumbs because she has “17 years of successful experience at Columbus High School as both a teacher, department chairperson and assistant principal. That experience gives her a unique perspective that will provide continuity and build upon the tradition of excellence for which CHS is recognized throughout the state, as well as advancing the tremendous potential of its students going forward.”
Lewis said he is recommending Wizzard to succeed Henerson because he has a compelling vision for the future of Richards Middle School through the enhancement and expansion of the rigorous International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. He is committed to realizing that vision by means of a strong school culture, high expectations, and excellence achieved through a solid work ethic and a strong partnership with the total school community.”
