BY CLIFF SMELLEY
A picture may be worth 1,000 words, but none of those words told Laurén Morgan that she would soon be one of the Bradford County School District’s principals, just like the two women she appeared with in a photo at a Florida Association of School Administrators Conference in Orlando this past June.
Morgan had recently been announced as the new assistant principal at Starke Elementary School when she posed for a photo with colleagues and friends Cassie Melvin, the principal at Bradford Elementary, and Terri O’Quinn, the principal at Lawtey Elementary. A week after becoming Starke Elementary’s assistant principal, she was named the school’s principal after Raymond Schaefer resigned. Schaefer is now the assistant principal at Middleburg’s Tynes Elementary School in Clay County, where he and his family live. (Schaefer’s wife, Melissa, is an educator in Clay.)
Looking at the photo now, Morgan said she and her friends never could’ve imagined it would become a representation of the district’s three elementary principals. They had wanted to get some of the other Bradford administrators in the photo, but after not being able to locate them, took the quick photo of just the three of them.
“I’m so grateful we snapped this photo,” Morgan said.
Morgan, who had served as assistant principal under Melvin at Bradford/Southside Elementary the last three years, wasn’t expecting to be moved to Starke Elementary to serve in that same capacity, so she obviously wasn’t expecting to then move up to being principal. Being the self-professed “organized-and-detailed person” that she is, she had already unpacked and set up her office across the hall from Schaeffer’s office.
When she became principal, she moved her stuff again.
“I don’t mind it one bit,” Morgan said. “It’s an honor.”
It was a week that proved to be “a little bit overwhelming,” but Morgan knows she has a great support system to rely on — her friends she posed with in the FASA conference photo. Melvin and O’Quinn are both on speed dial.
“They are dear friends,” Morgan said. “They are going to be mentoring me along the way. I know I can count on them for anything.”
Feeling at home — in administration and in Bradford Co.
Morgan’s career in education began at Waldo Community School, where she taught for five years. She then taught 10 years at Keystone Heights’ McRae Elementary. It was while at McRae that the idea of moving up into administration began to form, thanks to the principal at the time, Marcus Dooley.
“He kind of put the leadership bug in my ear,” Morgan said.
She continued teaching, moving to Melrose Elementary, which is where O’Quinn served as assistant principal before being named as Lawtey Elementary Principal in 2021. Morgan taught at Melrose for four years.
Melrose Principal Leah Lundy, like Dooley, believed Morgan had what it took to be an administrator. She encouraged Morgan to go for her master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Morgan said her thought was, “All right. Now I’ve heard it two times. This is a message that that’s where I need to head.”
Morgan, who earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida, did her master’s work through Saint Leo’s. She finished in 2021.
Though she had lived in Bradford County since 2005, Morgan had been commuting to Alachua, Clay and Putnam counties. Her first administrative role was at what was then Southside Elementary — the same year she earned her master’s degree.
Now, Morgan prepares to start her fourth straight year in Bradford.
“As cliché as it sounds, I’m home,” she said. “I’m where I’m meant to be.”
At Southside Elementary, she became part of a completely new administrative team at the school, though Melvin had already been serving as principal at the school in Brooker. She moved to Southside when the Brooker school was closed.
Morgan and Melvin became what people referred to as “the M&M team.”
“She is a phenomenal leader,” Morgan said. “Her relationship-building skills are something I’m definitely going to continue (at Starke Elementary). She’s a great cheerleader. She’s really just a beautiful soul. She’s well-rounded.
“I learned a lot working with her.”
One thing she learned that a lot of administrators don’t is how to open a new school. In fact, because of delays, she started the 2023-24 school year at the Southside campus and ended it at the new Bradford Elementary campus.
It was an experience that will help her now as principal.
“I think it’s understanding that we have to be flexible in education,” Morgan said, adding, “We have to be flexible as individuals. I think that will help me lead my school.”
Leading Starke Elementary
Morgan enjoyed working with Melvin and was looking forward to doing the same with Schaefer.
“I would’ve loved to have worked with him,” she said. “We worked together a few short days. Just his calm demeanor is one that definitely resounded with me. He’s a very wonderful guy.”
Schaefer left a handwritten note for Morgan, which she discovered when she moved into his old office. She said Schaefer expressed his faith in her and offered her some “wise words.”
“I cried as I read it,” she said. “It’s a beautiful note that I’m going to cherish.”
She also cherishes the memory of her husband, who passed away five years ago. She takes comfort and strength in knowing that he’s watching over her and couldn’t be happier to see where she’s at now.
“This would make him so proud — to see that I am principal at Starke Elementary School” Morgan said, adding, “I know that I’m here for a reason and that he’s so proud. He’s shining down his light on me, and he’s going to make sure I’m successful.”
Though Morgan’s the principal at one school, she sees herself as a district-wide principal. She said she, Melvin and O’Quinn have the goal of uniting as a team for the betterment of Starke, Bradford and Lawtey elementary schools.
“I really see these three schools working closely with one another,” Morgan said, admitting that probably hasn’t always been the case.
“To unite and to work together — it helps all the students in Bradford County,” she said. “That’s the goal. The goal is to have every child succeed.”
Morgan is in the process of meeting and getting to know the staff at Starke Elementary, while also reading applications for the position she previously occupied, albeit briefly.
“We’re about to hire, hopefully, our assistant principal,” Morgan said. “I hope to have a special day where the staff can come and meet us. We’re going to do a Popsicles with the Principals afternoon so they can meet us.”
Then, it’ll be looking forward to that first day for students.
“I can’t wait,” Morgan said. “Best day of the year.”
Morgan said she’s eager to see the children’s smiling faces. In turn, they’ll see her smiling face. If you took a photo, it may be worth 1,000 words — words such as “eager” and “excited.”
“Thankful” would be another.
“It’s very humbling,” Morgan said of being chosen to lead Starke Elementary. “I’m honored. I tell everybody that every day.”
