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On Friday, Chambers County School District announced the hiring of three new principals and a new director of federal programs.

Langley Matthews (Eastside Elementary School), Allen Rose (LaFayette High School), Andrew Leak (W.F. Burns Middle School) were named new principals, according to press releases from the Chambers County School District. Former Eastside Elementary School Principal LaKeyda Burnett was named the system’s new Director of Federal Programs. Below is more on each of the hires:

LaKeyda Burnett

Burnett succeeds Dr. Alicia Lyles who has resigned to accept a similar position with Eufaula City Schools. 

Lyles submitted her resignation two weeks ago after eight years of service with the Chambers County School District as a former counselor at LaFayette High School and federal programs director with the board of education, according to the press release. Lyles final day with the Chambers County School System will be June 1. 

Burnett has served as principal at Eastside Elementary School in LaFayette since 2014.  Burnett’s success as principal at Eastside made her the obvious choice for promotion to the systems Director of Federal Programs, according to the press release.

“Her commitment to team building is a big part of the success at Eastside where she collaborated with both parents and staff to promote student achievement,” Chambley said.

Prior to joining the CCSD as principal at Eastside in 2014, Burnett served as an assistant principal with Eufaula City Schools.  Her classroom experience included roles as an instructional coach and classroom teacher from grades K5-third grade in the Opelika City School System where she started her career in 1998.    

Allyson Matthews

Matthews returns to the Chambers County School District from her current position at W.O. Lance Elementary School in Lanett where she has served as assistant principal.  She is a veteran educator with 24 plus years of experience, according to a CCSD press release.

Matthews has a career of service working with the children across Chambers County with stints in the Chambers County School District, Lanett City Schools and Springwood School.  She formerly taught for the CCSD as a science teacher at LaFayette H.S. from 2014-2016.  In 2016, she became assistant principal at W.O. Lance Elementary School in Lanett.

Chambley said Matthews passion for student success will make her a great addition as the next principal at Eastside Elementary School. 

“Her former experience in the district will aid her transition in working closely with current staff to promote student future success for our students,” Chambley said.    

Prior to her current role as assistant principal at W.O. Lance in Lanett, Matthews taught science at LaFayette High School for two years, and worked as both a K-12 administrator and teacher at Springwood from 1994 to 2014.  She also formerly taught math for the Troup County School System in LaGrange. 

Allen Rose

Rose succeeds longtime veteran principal, Don Turner, who is retiring after 30 plus years of service with 29 of those serving the families of Chambers County. 

According to the CCSD press release, Rose stood out as one of many experienced candidates that applied for the LHS leadership opportunity. He comes to the Chambers County School District from his current role as assistant principal at Central Phenix City High School from which he was promoted in 2019. 

Prior to his first administrative opportunity, Rose taught 8th grade history at South Girard Junior High School in Phenix City in 2018. He also served as the Junior High School Head Football Coach at South Girard. From 2013 to 2018, Rose taught history at Phenix City Intermediate School in the Accelerated Academy for sixth and seventh grades. In 2017, Rose was honored and named the district wide teacher of the year for the Phenix City School System. 

Rose was on both active duty and on reserve duty from 2010 to 2016 in the Air Force Reserves. He was specially trained to work on U.S. Air Force C-130 aircraft during his service time. He rose to the rank and class of E-5 during his military service time. 

Chambley said he is excited for the LaFayette High School staff and student body. He said it’s clear that Rose has a positive energy and desire to make an impact on youth. 

Andrew Leak

Leak will take over the position vacated by former W.F. Burns Principal Chad Smith, who recently resigned. He returns to W.F. Burns where he first began his career as a teacher in 2004.

Leak has served in his current position as the principal at Five Points Elementary School for grades kinedergarten through eighth grade since 2018. Leak will transition into his new role as principal at W.F. Burns Middle School effective on Monday, May 17. 

During his time as principal at Five Points, Leak’s leadership led to implementation of a positive behavior support system that built student camaraderie and initiative. According to the press release, over the course of his three years as principal, Five Points Elementary School increased enrollment by nearly 18%. 

Prior to his role as principal at Five Points, Leak served as the assistant principal at Valley High School from 2013 to 2018 where he served as chairman for the school’s continuous improvement plan as well as representative for VHS on the district’s safety team committee.  Additionally, Leak has multi-tasked his roles for the school district since 2007 working with the CCSD’s Board Leadership as an energy manager specialist to save the system on energy costs. 

Before his first promotion into school administration at VHS, Leak served as a health education teacher at Valley High School from 2005 to 2013. During this period teaching at VHS, Leak was selected as the school’s Teacher of the Year in 2010. He also sponsored the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization over a four-year period while serving as the VHS Relay for Life Coordinator from 2012 to 2013.  Prior to joining the Rams faculty in 2005, Leak initially taught physical education for sixth through eighth grade at W.F. Burns Middle School for his first full-time teaching assignment in the Chambers County School District.

Leak is a byproduct of the Chambers County School System having graduated from Valley High School in 1995, according to the press release.

He has served the district over the last 18 years having worked in four of our schools since taking a long-term substitute teaching position in 2004 for a first grade class at LaFayette Lanier Elementary School. Leak was born and raised as a Chambers County native as the son of Arnold and Vicki Leak from Valley, AL.

Andrew and his wife, Leslie, reside in Chambers County. The Leaks have two children — a daughter, Ansley, who attends LaFayette Lanier Elementary School, and a son, Drew, who attends Bob Harding Shawmut Elementary School. Leslie Leak is employed at Auburn University as the executive assistant to the vice president of information technology/CIO. 

“Andrew Leak is truly committed to student success and our school system is fortunate to have his commitment to work with our students and staff,” Leak said.