David M. Walker is stepping back into the role where his heart has always been — as principal of a school community.
At its April 29 meeting, the Linden Board of Education 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 School No. 1, 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏.
Walker, a seasoned Linden educator and administrator, will succeed Interim Principal Dr. Liz-Morell, who has led the school since late last fall following a distinguished 30-year career as a teacher, principal, and administrator in the Paterson Public School District.
“It is truly an honor to be appointed as the next Principal of School No. 1 — and it is a responsibility I accept with great pride, humility, and most of all, excitement,” Walker said in remarks following his appointment.
𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭
A 17-year veteran of Linden Public Schools, Walker brings a deep well of experience to his new role.
“𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 — 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐟 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥, 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐍𝐨. 𝟏𝟎, 𝟏𝟐 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐣𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 — 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐍𝐨. 𝟏 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝.
Though his time in central office has been a valuable chapter, Walker spoke openly about the motivation behind his request to return to a school-based role.
“Throughout it all, I’ve felt this strong, overwhelming pull to lead a school community again — to be in the day-to-day, side by side with teachers and staff, and most importantly, working directly with kids again,” he said. “That right there — working with kids — I have truly missed that the most.”
𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭
Walker’s transition will begin immediately through a Visibility and Preparation Phase that includes informal visits, classroom drop-ins, listening sessions with students and staff, and close coordination with Dr. Liz-Morell and Vice Principal Mrs. Kolibas.
“Over the course of the last year, being right next door at the Admin Building, School 1 has truly endeared itself to me,” Walker shared. “I’ve had the unique opportunity to see the great kids there, to interact with teachers, staff, and administrators, and to experience firsthand the strong sense of pride that defines the school.”
He plans to be highly visible throughout May and June, attending events and initiating conversations with families, faculty, and staff.
“𝐌𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝. “𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝟏 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬’ 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐥𝐥.”
𝐀 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞
Walker also emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the school and the greater Linden community.
As a father of four and an Apple Distinguished Educator, Walker brings both personal passion and professional expertise to this new chapter. He believes that a strong school culture is the foundation for both academic excellence and personal growth.
“I am fully committed to working alongside our incredible students, staff, and families to ensure that in my leading of the school, everyone feels seen, heard, valued, and inspired to achieve their very best.”
𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝
Walker will officially begin his principalship on July 1 and will lead the district’s Summer School program, further embedding himself in the day-to-day life of the school even before the new year begins.
Closing out his remarks, Walker addressed the School No. 1 community directly:
“School No. 1 — I cannot wait to get started on this journey with all of you. Thank you for this incredible opportunity.”