A nine-year veteran of teaching and working as an administrator at Bulloch Academy, Leisa Houghton was named recently the head of school for the 2011-12 school year.
“We feel that we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to promote Leisa Houghton to the head of school position,” said Don Jacobs, Chairman of BA’s Board of Trustees. “Leisa has great leadership qualities and has a lot to offer. We are very confident that she will do an excellent job leading Bulloch Academy in the years to come.”
For Houghton, she said she discovered something special about the Statesboro school upon her first visit.
 “When we first moved to Statesboro, I visited 13 or 14 pre-kindergarten programs and I came back to BA’s twice,” said Houghton. “With its Christian values, family atmosphere and strong academics, I knew it was the kind of environment that I wanted my daughter to grow up in. I’ve been a part of its progression through the years and I want to continue to be a part of it. I love Bulloch Academy.”
During the most recent school year, Houghton served as the school’s assistant head of school for academics and then interim head of school. She was officially named to lead the school earlier this month.
The 41-year old Arkansas native holds a Masters of Arts in Education Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix Online, an Elementary Education certification and Reading Specialist Endorsement from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from College of the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri. Houghton holds Georgia teaching certificates in Educational Leadership (P-12), Business Education (6-12), Early Childhood Education (P-5), Middle Grades Education (4-8) and Middle Grades Language Arts (4-8). Houghton has also been granted lifetime certification in Texas in six areas.
“The Bulloch Academy Board of Trustees is very excited about her abilities and the tremendous amount of experience that she brings to the table,” said Ray McKinney, the Board’s vice-chairman.
“Being the head of school will be a new challenge,” Houghton said. “Anyone who works in any school wears many different hats. Trying to decide which one of them to wear at a certain time is the trick.”
    In 2002, she was hired as the school’s instructional technology specialist. During the next six years, she began to accumulate some of her hats as she became the school’s technology director, the yearbook advisor and the senior advisor. During the 2008-09 school year, she became a part-time administrator. In 2009-10, she was promoted to the assistant head of school for academics.
    Houghton’s leadership style promotes communication and understanding between all employees, parents and students, McKinney said.
    “I have an open-door policy,” she said. “I want to seek input from all employees and try to give support to everyone. I like to get the teachers and staff involved in the decision-making process. We have a great faculty and staff who go above and beyond for the students, their families and each other for the good of the school.”
Houghton and her husband Kenneth recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. The couple has one daughter, Kendra, a 13-year old who will be going into the eighth grade at Bulloch Academy.
As the Westside Road independent school begins its 40th year of operation, Houghton wants the school to be responsive to the individual student and his or her everchanging way of life.
“We want to analyze our curriculum in respect to the way the workforce is changing,” she said. “We have to let our curriculum target what students will need for the future.”