Courtney new principal at Decatur Middle School

DECATUR — When schools open in August, Decatur Middle School will have a new principal for the 2020-21 school year.

But this new principal is no stranger to the Decatur School System.

Devon Courtney, former assistant principal for the Middle School, was promoted June 1 to the Middle School principal, taking over from Toby Conrad, who will work as the high school principal and athletic director. Courtney has been with the Decatur School District for 16 years and is very familiar with all three of the district’s schools.

“My teaching career began at Decatur in 2004. I taught kindergarten, first and second grades for 10 years, became the District ESL (English as a Second Language) coordinator and then the elementary dean of students,” said Courtney. ” In 2018, I became the assistant principal at the Middle School, where I have been since.”

From a very early age, Courtney knew she wanted to be a teacher, often role-playing as a teacher in a classroom.

“I knew I wanted to be a teacher from a very young age,” Courtney recalls. “I can remember ‘playing school’ and pretending to be a teacher even at the age of 5. As I grew up and went on to college, I knew that working with kids was my passion.”

After graduating from high school, Courtney went on to Arkadelphia to start work on her career as an educator. Even after taking her first teaching job in Decatur in 2004, Courtney continued to build on her education until she achieved her ultimate goal. But that would not be enough, for she is still continuing to build on her educational base so she can give her students the best chance at an education.

“I graduated in 2003 from Henderson State University with a bachelor’s of science in early childhood education,” Courtney recalls. “I went on to pursue a master’s degree in educational theory and practice at Arkansas State University in 2011. In 2016, I graduated from Arkansas State with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction (K-12). I earned a building level administrator’s license in 2017 from A-State. I am now working on my educational specialist degree in educational leadership at Arkansas State University.”

Courtney is not afraid to take on the many challenges that a widely diverse population in Decatur many throw at her.

“Working in a small, diverse community like Decatur has several benefits,” said Courtney. “I believe that working in a diverse community fosters an environment that welcomes communication and interaction with people from various backgrounds, thus strengthening the work/ learning environment. The world around us is becoming more and more diverse. I believe that students and families in Decatur have an increased awareness of the different cultures that surround us. This awareness will prepare them for future experiences in life, whether it be technical school, college or the workforce.”

Most rookie teachers come to a school system like Decatur to build their skills as an educator before moving on to bigger school systems like Gravette, Gentry, Siloam Springs and Rogers. Courtney, on the other hand, likes the challenges a small district has to offer teachers. Sixteen years later, she is still dedicated to all of her kids, some she watched grow from her first kindergarten class to make the trip across the stage during the Class of 2017 graduation ceremony.

“I love Decatur,” Courtney said. “My passion is to be a positive influence in the lives of all students and families that I come in contact with during my work here. I am excited to begin my work as a building principal at the middle school. I believe that my job as Middle School principal is to be a leader and facilitator of learning and growth, academically, socially and emotionally.”

Courtney has made a mark on all of the students she has influenced over the 16 years as a teacher, ESL coordinator, dean and assistant principal. As she begins her new role, Courtney cannot help looking back on how far the Decatur School District, its faculty and staff, and the students have come in the quest to give a boost into the next big phase in their lives.

“My passion is to be a positive influence in the lives of all students and families that I come in contact with during my work here.” — Devon Courtney, new principal at Decatur Middle School