LEXINGTON — Genelle Eggerton was working as a retail store manager when she went on a missions trip that changed her life.
“Public communications was my first profession,” said Eggerton, the principal of Lexington’s Western Elementary School and previously the intervention specialist at East Knox Elementary. “I felt the Lord leading me in a different direction after going on a mission trip to Haiti and saying, ‘Hey, I don’t think you’re in the right spot.”
As a single mom, Eggerton continued doing what she could to make ends meet, from taking on marketing and radio work to managing retail stores. After getting married, the doors opened for her to pursue a new path in education.
Eggerton started her second career at East Knox schools, working her way up from substitute teacher and custodian to elementary principal. She’s worked as the principal of Western Elementary for eight years.
After more than 20 years in education, Eggerton has felt God lead her in a different direction again. She will leave the district at the end of the school year to become a literacy specialist with Wilson Language Training.
In her new role, Eggerton will train educators across the country in evidence-based methods for helping struggling readers, including students with dyslexia and other language disorders.
“I just want to see kids have that opportunity to read independently. And I also want to see teachers be able to have the tools to help struggling readers or students with dyslexia learn how to read,” she said.
Dyslexia is fairly common — experts at the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity estimate that one in five people have dyslexia. By that estimate, dyslexia affects between 80 and 90 percent of people with learning disabilities.
“Students with dyslexia are bright young people. Sometimes when we see them struggling with reading, we may think the contrary and that is not the case,” Eggerton said. “We need to make sure we are providing these students with a framework that works for them in order to learn to read.”
Eggerton’s interest in literacy began early in her education career. She first became certified through Wilson Language Training while at East Knox Elementary School.
“I was able to assess a lot of kids in the area of reading who have been held back due to lack of reading skills over the years,” she said.
As a practicum student, Eggerton was paired with a bright, hardworking third-grade pupil. The boy didn’t know how to read, but was determined to learn so that he could become an Eagle Scout and then go into the Army.
“He said ‘Mrs. Eggerton, I need to know how to read this book, but I don’t know how to read,’” she recalled. “It broke my heart.”
Eggerton continued to work with the student until he graduated high school. He didn’t end up pursuing a career in the Army, though he does have a job and family.
He did, however, earn the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest achievement attainable in Boy Scouts of America. He even honored Eggerton during the ceremony.
“He pinned me as Eagle Scout (mentor) for helping him learn how to read,” she said.
Since then, Eggerton has been passionate about helping struggling readers. During her time working with Lexington Local Schools, she helped to implement Wilson Language Training resources throughout the district.
Lexington currently uses tools to screen early readers for language-based disorders as well as interventions to help struggling students read on grade level. The district also has 17 faculty members certified to provide intensive support for students with dyslexia.
The Lexington board of education approved Eggerton’s resignation at its Wednesday board meeting.
“Genelle has worked hard for the students of Western for the last eight years. She has a very strong understanding of literacy and will be successful in the next venture she is undertaking,” said superintendent Jeremy Secrist. “We appreciate her service and wish her well.”
Despite being excited about her new venture, Eggerton said it wasn’t an easy decision to make.
“I am going to miss the kids immensely. They brighten your day and you can’t ever count it a bad day because when you have kids around, and they’re smiling, and they’re giving you hugs — that’s a great day,” she said. “I’m going to miss the community I serve. I have wonderful parents here who have been very supportive. I’m going to miss them and I’m going to miss my staff. There’s a wonderful staff at Western Elementary.”
Eggerton said she hopes the next Western principal will put students first, even when it’s hard.
“Keep the tradition of moving kids forward,” she said.”We’ve always strived to be excellent in all that we do, not for our own gain, but for the gain of the next generation.”
