Robert Simpson has been selected to be the next principal at Wallins Elementary School, beginning his new role on February 2.
Simpson, a lifelong resident of the Wallins Community, said he is thrilled to have been chosen to lead Wallins, a school which has been a major part of his life. He will succeed Stan Nicely who has accepted a position at the school district’s central office.
Harlan County Schools Superintendent Brett Johnson said today that he is pleased to announce the selection.
“With 27 years of experience in education and a strong commitment to serving our community, Mr. Simpson brings enthusiasm, leadership and a genuine passion for education to his new role,” said Johnson. “He has a proven track record of fostering meaningful community partnerships and cultivating a positive, supportive school culture for both students and staff.
Having attended Wallins from kindergarten through the eighth grade, he graduated from James A. Cawood High School in 1991.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1998, his master’s in 2004 and his Rank I in Supervision of Instruction in 2005 from Union Commonwealth University.
He has been an educator at Wallins for 27 years, having a significant impact on the many students he has taught, coached and helped in many other ways. He was a fifth through eighth grade math teacher, assistant principal and coached basketball and football.
“I am thankful for this opportunity and will go above and beyond to build upon the academic success of Wallins Elementary. We have great students and a tremendous faculty and staff. We truly are a family and strive each day to see students succeed. We will do anything possible to meet the needs of our students as we prepare them for their futures.”
Simpson was inducted into the University of Pikeville’s Distinguished Educators Hall of Fame in 2024, highlighting his success.
While he won’t begin his duties as principal for a couple weeks, Simpson said he is already working and hitting the ground running. He said he has a lot of goals and can’t wait to see these turn to accomplishments.
“My staff and I will continue to work hard to build upon the success that Wallins has had over the years. Personally, I will continue to support the academic growth of our students and support them in all of their endeavors,” he said.
Simpson said he is blessed to have a facility that is “state of the art and one that the students, staff and entire community can be proud of. I am thankful to the Harlan County Board of Education for the facilities upgrade at Wallins. We are state of the art.”
Simpson and his wife, April, have two sons, Evan and Ethan, students at Lincoln Memorial University.