Dr. Sandra McCalla and Captain Shreve High School are synonymous in Shreveport. Serving as principal from 1979 through 2015 with a six-year hiatus at Northwestern State University, McCalla has seen many changes during her time as principal, but one thing remains the same – the love she has for students. The education pioneer has seen thousands of students come through the school and remembers them all by name. She took many students under her wing to guide them through their high school journeys.
Q&A with:
Dr. SanDra Mccalla
Q: Can you tell me about your career before you became a principal? McCalla: My career in Caddo Parish began in 1960 at Oak Terrace Junior
High where I taught eighth- and ninth-grade math under principal Stanley Powell shortly after graduating from Northwestern. When construction was complete on the new, state-of-the-art Captain Shreve High, Powell selected me as his go-to math teacher and brought me over to the campus to teach advanced math, algebra I and algebra II. By the fall of 1977, thensuperintendent Walter Lee called me to serve as the assistant principal at Captain Shreve at Powell’s recommendation. I became the first female high school principal in Caddo Parish Public School’s history in 1979. Women just weren’t high school principals at the time. I will never forget sitting in Walter Lee’s office and him saying more than once that he couldn’t believe he was going to recommend a woman for principal of a high school. After I was hired, I remember walking into my first high school athletic meeting, and the only women were me and a few nuns, but other than that it was a room full of men. That’s when it began to sink in.
Q: What were the major changes in the school and education that you saw over the years? McCalla: The times changed and so too did Captain Shreve. We saw history come alive and brought perspective to our students. When we opened the doors at Captain Shreve in 1967, we were in the midst of integration and I am still proud to this day of our how students and staff came together without incident in what was a tumultuous time in Caddo’s history. From there, change didn’t stop, and with the introduction of magnet schools in the 1980s, we again saw a view of education in Caddo change. The consistent part of education is that some things will never change. Captain Shreve evolved over the years with new clubs, programs and courses to meet student needs including the addition of the engineering magnet component. Educators then and now still want to do what’s best for each child and provided them the tools they need to be successful. The tests may have changed and integration of technology, but that core foundation will forever be a part of Captain Shreve.
Q: What did you hope your students would learn from you? McCalla: I don’t know how much the students learned from me, but I learned a great deal from them! We sought to create an environment which students to could proudly call their own and a school they couldn’t wait to attend and continue a tradition of excellence. For me, the students were the reason for every decision. The first conversation to take place with each idea was how it would ultimately impact the students and support them on their path to their future. The students of Captain Shreve are strong and gifted. Yes, kids will be kids, and there are definitely some growing pains, which come with that, but overall the students at Captain Shreve are the most exceptional young men and women I have had the pleasure to meet. They can compete with any other student in the world, and I am proud of the obstacles they have overcome to persevere. Our students come from a variety of situations but their family situations are not excuses, but rather incentives to perform to a higher level. From National Merit Scholarship winners to perfect scores on the ACT, they certainly achieve that higher level.
Q: What kind of legacy do you think you left at Captain Shreve? McCalla: I’m not one honestly to think of my time there in that
way. I came to Captain Shreve when it opened its door because of the vision of a great leader in Stanley Powell, and along the way I had people who believed in me and allowed me to do a job a truly enjoyed. I’m not sure about a legacy, but what I am sure is Captain Shreve was the opportunity of a lifetime to grow a campus and meet generations of students and staff members. The greatest successes were seeing our former students coming back to teach the next group because they held their time at the campus so dear that they wanted to pass that same passion for Shreve to the another generation. That is what I hope for Shreve no matter who is leading the campus. I believe Captain Shreve to be the best school there is, and I want others to feel that same way.
Q: What is a major accomplishment during your tenure there? McCalla: There are so many things I’m proud of when it comes to Captain Shreve. Certainly a highlight would be when it was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, putting Shreve in the ranks of the most elite schools in the country. While that was a recognition I will never forget, the stories that are the most compelling to me are those of individual students who have come through the doors of Captain Shreve and gone on to successful careers well prepared for the world ahead. Our students have overcome a multitude of adversities and they continue to amaze me with their dedication, perseverance and ambition. The students are the greatest inspiration I had and they along with my faculty and staff were what made my time at Shreve special. The awards and recognitions were great, but that was more to bring prestige to the campus. The students, though, are the untold stories behind those awards and recognitions and the heart and soul of ‘The Swamp.’
Q: What are your hopes for the new principal of the school? McCalla: Ginger has long been someone I have been impressed with as our paths crossed numerous times over the years. She and I share many of the same experiences including classroom experience teaching math. She is gifted and is certainly an up-and-comer. When she was named, I was so pleased with the decision as I have know for some time she is capable of greatness. She brings to Shreve a new energy and a different perspective after serving in several different roles in the district and all of those experiences provide a unique opportunity to walk into Shreve with fresh eyes. I have no doubt she will continue the excellence we have strived to maintain at Shreve and the community will see her take the campus to the next level.
Q: What are your plans now that you are retired? McCalla: Retired or not, I will continue to support the Gators in any way I am able. I am excited about the opportunity to give back to the community through a variety of volunteer efforts and service opportunities which better the community.
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