Principal's Intro

 

Principal's Message

Greetings Barksdale Elementary School Families, 

It is with great enthusiasm and pride that I welcome you to the 2025–2026 school year! It is truly an honor to join the BES community as your new principal. I look forward to getting to know each of you and learning more about the people and traditions that make Barksdale Elementary so special. As we embark on this new school year together, I am filled with excitement for the journey ahead. With a strong foundation already in place and a shared commitment to excellence, I am confident that we will achieve great things together for our students, our school, and our community.

This school year, we look forward to consistently communicating and collaborating with you as we pursue academic excellence for all of our students. With our strong and dedicated crew of teachers and staff, we are committed to meeting each student’s individual learning needs in a positive and academically challenging environment, every single day. We know that we are better together, and we are excited to show you—through our beliefs, words, and actions—that we truly value the home-to-school connection. Research shows that when we bridge these two worlds, students perform better in school, teachers gain higher self-esteem, and parents become empowered and invested in their children’s lives.

Please be encouraged to show your support for our students, teachers, and staff by volunteering as often as you can, joining our PTO, and attending school and community events with pride. Together, we will continue to strengthen the partnerships already established with our families, local businesses, and organizations. We will also create new learning experiences and opportunities for our students to enhance teaching and learning. This challenging yet rewarding work will guide us each day as we prepare our 21st-century learners to successfully set sail and thrive in a global society.

As principal of Barksdale Elementary School, it is my long-term goal to cultivate a respectful, collaborative, and high-achieving environment where every student, teacher, and family member feels valued, supported, and inspired to grow. This year and beyond, we will be Anchored in Excellence — together.

With Buccaneer Pride,

Dr. Erica Wakefall
Principal, M. G. Barksdale Elementary School