IN 2015, Wilson County Schools was hiring for five principal positions at various schools, but their intention was to place those candidates at whichever location administrators thought was the best fit. Scott Walters, however, had a very different goal in mind when he interviewed.

“I told them, ‘I only want to be at one place, and that is Lebanon High School. I’m going to answer all your questions as if that is where I’m going, and if that is not where you put me, then I would just rather stay where I am,’” he said.

His confident request paid off. Now, 11 years later, under Walters’ leadership, Lebanon High School has an A on its state report card, a graduation rate above 97%, and both Level 5 and Reward School designations, none of which were true before he became principal.

Walters’ natural talent for education and administration stemmed from parents who had careers in the school system. His mother taught elementary school before becoming a principal and was eventually promoted to assistant superintendent in Arkansas. His father was a coach and teacher before accepting several administrative roles, finishing his career as superintendent of a rural district.

“I tried to avoid education because that’s what my parents were doing, and I just thought, ‘Why would I want to do that?’” Walters said. “But then I woke up one day and thought, ‘I can feel it. I’m going to be a teacher.’”

Walters’ parents taught him a valuable lesson through their example about working in this field, which has carried through his career.

“They don’t get riled up or overwhelmed easily,” he said. “They taught me that it’s not benefiting anybody for me to walk the halls in a panic or let them see that I am overwhelmed.”

He followed his inherited calling to Harding University, where he majored in English. There, he met his wife, Emily, a lovely young lady who was also studying to be an English teacher. Today, Emily teaches ESL at a middle school in Lebanon, and their four children attend Wilson County Schools. Daisy is a senior at Lebanon High School, John Price and Annalyn are in middle school, and Lewis is in kindergarten.

After teaching high school English in Arkansas, the couple moved to Tennessee to live closer to his wife’s family. Scott taught at Mount Juliet High School, where he also served as assistant principal for three years. He then spent a year at Wilson County’s central office as a supervisor of high school secondary curriculum. While he quickly discovered that was not his passion, it did give him a valuable perspective, seeing things from the outside.

“There were so many things I felt like the schools could have been accomplishing,” he said.

Scott began his career as Lebanon High School’s principal with big ideas for its future. He wanted the Lebanon High community to feel the same pride and excellence he had witnessed at Mount Juliet under Principal Mel Brown.

“I wanted people at Lebanon High to think they’re great the same way Mount Juliet did, and I wanted them to have a principal who is really passionate about their school and who is going to stick around for a long time,” he said.

Scott made significant changes over his 11 years and continues to seek growth opportunities. Lebanon High School now offers all career-technical education pathways available in Tennessee, including cosmetology, culinary arts, and health professions programs. The school has dramatically expanded work-based learning opportunities, and a new partnership with Wilson Bank & Trust allows students to intern in finance. Dual enrollment programs with Cumberland University and Tennessee College of Applied Technology give students college credit while still in high school.

“We have a lot of seniors who have done a good job knocking out all of their graduation requirements,” Scott said. “So we have tried to push them towards spending time getting out of the building and making money, honing their skills, or developing a future career.”

Scott said his four assistant principals, athletic director, and school counseling team help manage the daily decisions and problem-solving. Because it is a large faculty, the administrators divide teachers into smaller groups, each with a designated point person.

“We wanted to create something small when it just feels so big,” he said.

Scott’s wife, still teaching middle school, keepshim grounded with her classroom perspective.

“I’ll come home and tell her that I dealt with a situation, and maybe I was frustrated, and Emily will say, ‘Oh no, no, no. You are in the wrong here.’” Scott said.

He places great value on his teachers, knowing they are the heartbeat of the school.

“Lebanon High School’s success is 100% due to the teachers that we have in this building,” Scott said. “If I want credit for anything that’s been done, it’s that I hired great teachers.”

He believes the school represents diversity, community, and dedication.

“Sometimes, in this county, this school gets underappreciated, but I just think it is the best. The school is great, and the people who work here make it a wonderful place to work and go to school,” Scott said. GN