Dunbar Middle School for Innovation will welcome Dr. Kellie Scruggs Baldwin as their new principal in the fall. An experienced and dedicated educator, Dr. Baldwin has served Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) for eight years and has been the principal of Robert S. Payne Elementary School since 2017.
Dr. Baldwin left an indelible impact on R. S. Payne by enriching parent and family engagement, student collaboration, and social-emotional learning throughout the school. Prior to her time there, Dr. Baldwin was the assistant principal at Heritage Elementary School for two years. No stranger to the classroom, she taught for 13 years in Bedford and Appomattox County Schools before launching her administrative career with LCS.
“I couldn’t have asked for a more exceptional school leader to guide Dunbar Middle into its next chapter of excellence,” said LCS Superintendent Dr. Crystal Edwards. “Dr. Baldwin leads with such compassion and enthusiasm. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the culture she’s leaving behind at R. S. Payne.”
A Lynchburg native, Dr. Baldwin has demonstrated unwavering devotion to her community. Creating safe, positive, and diverse environments in which students are challenged to be the best they can be, she says, is her calling.
“I am passionate about developing the youth of Lynchburg, and I look forward to working alongside the dedicated Dunbar faculty and staff to continue to provide an enriched learning experience for all students,” Dr. Baldwin said. “Together with our parents, families, and community partners, we will continue to raise the bar of excellence.”
In addition to her professional experience, Dr. Baldwin holds a bachelor’s degree and teacher licensure from Liberty University, a master’s degree in education and a PreK-12 administration license from the University of Phoenix, an educational specialist degree in educational leadership from Liberty University, and a Doctor of Education in leadership studies from the University of Lynchburg.
Dr. Baldwin is also an active member of several professional organizations, including the Virginia State Literacy Association, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Virginia Association of Elementary School Principals, where she serves as the Piedmont Area Zone Director.
The current Dunbar Middle principal, Dr. Dani Rule, will start as the next principal of E. C. Glass High School in the fall. Dr. Baldwin will work closely with him to ensure a smooth transition as she kicks off the 2023-24 school year at Dunbar Middle.
