As students return to school after summer break, Leslie Ann Little, Former Assistant Head of The Middle School, begins her new role: Middle School Head.

In the spring of last year, Danette Morton announced her transfer to her new position as the Executive Director of The Center for Teaching after a decade of leadership in the Middle School. Her move meant a change in leadership in the Middle School, allowing Little to move into Morton’s former role. 

During her 28-year tenure at Westminster, Little has served in many administrative roles, including 7th Grade Girls Grade Chair, Dean of Students, and Assistant Head of the Middle School. A few initiatives she helped bring to the Middle School include Monday Morning Meeting, MayATL, Midday Office Hours, and the 8th-grade retreat. That said, she is most well-known by students and alumni as a friendly, outgoing, and supportive member of the faculty. 

Little came to Westminster in 1995 fully qualified. She graduated from Mercer University with a BA in Secondary Education & English and an MA in Independent School Leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University. Before coming to Westminster, Little taught English Literature at Stratford Academy, as well as a public school in Macon, Georgia. 

As she adjusts to her new role, Little says her goal is to “create the atmosphere in which teachers and students can do their very best work, and give them the space where they can create the vision and shape the future of the Middle School.” Little believes that the best way to fulfill that vision is to create opportunities for students to help identify areas of change, and she is excited to work with this year’s Leadership Councils.

Middle School Teacher Adam Fry is optimistic about the change.  “I think that the transition will be almost completely seamless,” he says. “Ms. Morton and Ms. Little worked so closely together and both helped to form the leadership style that is the signature of the Middle School. Ms. Little does an excellent job at being in touch with teachers and students, and I think she will be a fantastic Head of Middle School.”

Little says she bases her decisions and approach to leadership on a simple philosophy: “If it’s good for the children, then make it so.” She comes to work every day with that goal in mind. 

From the start of the year, Little has spread a message about the value of failure and making mistakes. “There is not a person in this school that has not met with some failure,” she says. “While failure is not one of the MS core values, it is what we experience in the striving for them, and recognizing when we have missed the mark so that we can course correct is how growth is made.”  She hopes to instill these values in Middle Schoolers, encouraging students to go beyond their comfort zone. 

With that message in mind, Little admits that she will make mistakes as she adjusts to her new position, but will strive toward making the Middle School the best it can be.