A new Grayson County High School assistant principal has been selected.
Shawn Decker, who currently teaches Social Studies at Grayson County Middle School and is the Team 5 Leader, will assume the role of assistant principal, the school district announced Friday.
Decker essentially replaces former assistant principal and newly announced GCHS Principal Lacy Cox. Onetime Principal Todd Johnston came out of retirement to serve as assistant principal on an interim basis when Cox was named interim principal effective January 1, 2022. Those moves followed the departure of then-Principal Josh Baldwin, who now serves as the district’s Director of Pupil Personnel (replacing the retired Sonny Prunty).
Decker says he is ready for a new challenge and “super excited for this opportunity to serve Grayson County Schools.” But he added that it’s also bittersweet to leave behind his work home of nearly two decades.
“There is no doubt that it is tough to leave the place that I have called home for the past 18 years,” Decker said.
He taught Title I Reading for one year before moving into his certified area of Social Studies where he’s shared his passion for the subject over the past 17 years.
To start his new role, Decker’s goal is to “do my best to support the staff and students. Also, to help provide a safe and positive learning environment. I am committed to our profession, ready to help empower students, and dedicated to my team.”
Cox is excited to soon have Decker on board, joining current assistant principals Shane Decker and Matt Hayes (who additionally works as the director of the GC Technology Center), in leadership roles.
“He brings such a positive energy and enthusiasm to our school and will be great with our students and staff,” she said. “He’s a wonderful addition to our team.”
Shawn Decker earned both a Marketing degree and teacher certification from Western Kentucky University and his Masters and Rank I from the University of the Cumberlands. His certifications are in Social Studies, Mathematics, and K-12 Principalship.
His wife Amanda is a 6th-grade math teacher at the middle school and he has two daughters — Ella will join him next year at GCHS as a freshman and Kate will be a 5th grader at Lawler Elementary.
By Ken Howlett, News Director and Grayson County Schools
