Friday, January 25, 2013
- by B.B. Branton
McCallie School Headmaster Dr. Kirk Walker has announced to the school's board of trustees that he will step down as headmaster of the Chattanooga all boys prep school at the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year.
Dr. Walker, a 1969 graduate of McCallie School, is currently in his 14th year as the school's headmaster and 31st as a headmaster. Prior to his time at McCallie, he was the Ensworth School headmaster in Nashville for nine years and also eight years as headmaster at Bright School in Chattanooga.
"Under Kirk Walker's guidance the past 14 years, the school's curriculum has been expanded, faculty and staff have never been stronger and our campus and facilities have been significantly enhanced," said McCallie School Board of Trustees Chairman Hacker Caldwell ('66).
"And, most importantly, the school's core mission has remained the central guiding force."
Born and raised in Chattanooga, his father was Mayor Robert Kirk Walker. He graduated from McCallie with the Class of 1969. He taught at the middle, high school and college levels and was a supervisor of instruction at Fort Campbell, Ky.
When he became McCallie headmaster in 1999, he was the first person outside the McCallie family to do so.
Dr. Walker has served as president of the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools and chairman of the Southern Association of Independent Schools.
He and his wife Patsi live on campus. Their children are Caroline, Whit ’02 and Rob ’99.
While Dr. Walker announced his retirement Thursday, several other Southern prep school headmasters have also announced this week their plans to retire ... Tom Whitworth of Darlington School and Bill Clarkson of Westminster School in Atlanta both plan to retire at the end of the 2013-14 school year. Randy Tucker is retiring at GPS.