Thank You, Dr. Walker

A retired McCallie Headmaster, former GPS trustee, and past GPS parent, Dr. Kirk Walker left his mark as Interim Head of School for the 2020-21 school year. Dr. Kirk Walker had only months to plan for what could be described as the ultimate challenge: shepherding a school from one head to another during a pandemic. Now, on the other side of schoolwide precautions and with the advantage of hindsight, he made it look easy.

Perhaps his three decades of school administrative experience coupled with his calm, reassuring presence is to be credited for putting the entire GPS community at ease. Who would want to disappoint a leader who modeled such gentle authority during a time when it might be easy to let trepidation take over?

Surely at times he questioned his decision to say yes when GPS Board Chair Dr. Becca Stimson ’73 asked if he would serve as Interim Head of School during the 2020-21 school year. When he was approached in October 2019, the pandemic was months removed from Chattanooga.

But the GPS community is grateful that he did agree to serve and that he did so with such adeptness and grace. Walker had retired as president of the Southern Association of Independent Schools in June 2019. Afterward people had asked him what his plans might be. “I usually replied that I wasn’t sure, but that I knew that it would present itself,” he says.

Once he committed to GPS, Walker made a trip to the local bookstore to buy books about raising and educating girls. His daughter, Caroline Walker ’04, served as his inspiration.

“I was honored to be part of a school community for which I have so much admiration,” he says. “Both through observing my daughter’s experience as a student at GPS and through my work with the school while at McCallie and Bright.”

For Caroline, seeing her father lead the school she has such a fondness for was a special experience.

“It really touched me how proud he was of everyone on campus—the teachers, students, the facilities crew, the admin team,” she says. “He loved the special relationships between everyone on campus and how they came together to focus on the girls and problem-solve to keep the school open.”

Dr. Walker with his daughter, Caroline.

After months of bragging about the school lunches and how much he loved being a part of the school, Walker finally allowed Caroline to visit—but only after COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted to the point he felt comfortable having her on campus. “He was always so proud of not only what he was able to accomplish but also what the girls did,” she says. “He would brag about the athletic teams and Mock Trial when they won state. And he’s so proud of how bright the future is for GPS and the resiliency that was demonstrated this year.”

Caroline says she got emotional after her visit with her dad. “I’m really glad I got to walk the halls with him. He wanted to show off the school to me from his lens, and it was very special.”

Although she admits to being a bit biased, Caroline believes her father was the right person for the job as interim head. “He brought a sense of calmness and confidence to the school and was able to bring everyone together. It was a once-in-alifetime opportunity for him.”

Now that Dr. Walker has passed the proverbial torch to the tenth Head of School, Megan Cover, he’s planning to travel with his wife, Patsi, to spend time with family—including a new grandbaby—and to focus on community projects.

“I’m forever grateful he was able to spend this year at GPS,” Caroline says. “From day one, he fell in love with the school the way I did. That meant the world to me, and I’m so proud to be his daughter.”