Meet the Principal: Dr. Carrie O'Bryant of Macedonia ES!

Our Principals are dedicated leaders, and we’ll be introducing you this summer to our school district’s new Principals.  Please help us celebrate Dr. Carrie O’Bryant, who this school year will lead Macedonia Elementary School!

Dr. Carrie O’Bryant loves learning, as both an educator and a life-long student, and she hopes to inspire her students and team to feel the same way.

A 24-year educator, Principal O’Bryant leads by example, continuing to study best practices in education and then use them to benefit her school community. 

“As I join Macedonia’s staff, I am very excited about getting to know the school community and building positive relationships with students, staff and parents, so that we can work together to celebrate the school’s strengths while also addressing our challenges,” she said.  “I also look forward to working alongside the experienced staff and contributing to academic achievement and student success.” 

Principal O’Bryant is known not only for her teaching and leadership expertise, but also for her success in developing new community partnerships to benefit students and staff.

“My first goal is to simply get to know and establish a relationship with the students, staff and community and do my part to promote a positive school culture that focuses on respect and academic excellence for all,” she said.  “I’m also excited about collaborating with the school community to strengthen partnerships with parents and external stakeholders.” 

Principal O’Bryant began her education career in CCSD as an elementary school teacher and taught all subjects and all grades from kindergarten through fifth.  She was appointed in 2016 to serve as an assistant principal at Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy and was named principal of Clayton Elementary School in 2019.

She has earned bachelor’s, master’s, specialist and doctorate degrees in education, as well as numerous certifications such as National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, leadership and leadership coaching.  She and her husband, Scott, who is a Cherokee HS teacher, have three children who graduated from CCSD schools; their two daughters-in-law both are CCSD teachers.

“Carrie truly has reached the gold standard level for principals,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower said.  “She’s an incredibly knowledgeable and experienced educator and a dedicated and caring school and community leader who is committed to continuous improvement.  We know she will exceed the Macedonia community’s expectations and look forward to the success they will achieve together this school year.”

How can parents be more involved with your school?  “There are so many ways for parents to support the school,” Principal O’Bryant said.  “Parents can join PTA and volunteer to help with various PTA-sponsored events.  The School Council is another opportunity for parents to be involved and provide feedback to the administration.  Parent feedback to teachers and administrators is incredibly important so we can continually improve our practices.  Parents can also work with their child’s teacher to provide support for specific classroom events.  If parents’ schedules don’t allow for time to volunteer within the school day, parents can support evening events, i.e., performances.  They can also show their support by working with their children at home, so they gain an understanding of what their child is learning and how they are doing.”
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