A familiar face has been named the new principal of Madison County High School.
On Monday, the Madison County School Board announced the hire of Melissa “Lisa” Clore-Taylor as the new high school principal. She fills the vacancy left by Betty-Jo Wynham who departed earlier this month for a leadership role in Manassas City Public Schools.
Clore-Taylor is no stranger to Madison County Public Schools. She began her career in education in 1996 as a math teacher at William Wetsel Middle School. She later transferred to the high school where she taught science, served as the department chair, coached cheerleading and wrote the science curricula. From there, she spent the 2016-2017 teaching seventh grade science in Prince William County Schools before teaching special education at Orange County High School (OCHS) and later became the assistant principal. She has been employed with Orange County Public Schools since 2019.
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According to a release from the Madison County School Board, while working on the administrative team at OCHS, Clore-Taylor worked to address systemic practices perpetuating achievement gaps for students with disabilities and English language learners. She is also passionate about expanding career and technical education opportunities by collaborating with community members.
The Madison County School Board announces Melissa Clore-Taylor, third from left, as the new principal of Madison County High School.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Taylor as the new principal of Madison County High School,” superintendent Anna Graham said. “Her passion for education and dedication to student success make her the perfect leader for the high school. We welcome her back home to Madison County and look forward to the positive impact she will have on our students, staff, and community.”
Assistant superintendent Cathy Jones said Clore-Taylor has dedicated herself to enhancing academic achievement and the school division is fortunate to have her.
“Her enthusiasm for returning home to Madison is a testament to her commitment and passion,” Jones said.
Clore-Taylor said she’s excited to return to Madison and looks forward to “building upon the rich culture of the Madison community, celebrating its strengths and talents.”
“I’ve spent time in Madison Schools as a student and teacher, but now I get to experience it as an educational leader,” she added. “It is time to give back to the community that gave me this glorious start in this educational journey.”
Clore-Taylor will begin her new role this month and plans to share her 90-day action plan with the Mountaineer community in the near future. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Radford University with a Master of Arts in Teaching with an emphasis in K-12 Special Education from Liberty University and a Post Master’s School Leadership and Administration Endorsement from Longwood University.
School board chair Nita Collier said Clore-Taylor was chosen after an extensive search process. There were 11 candidates with seven interviewed. Three were chosen for second interviews with Collier, Graham and Jones with Clore-Taylor ultimately chosen as the new principal.
