After more than 34 years in the field of education, Glasgow Middle School Principal Judy O’Dell (pictured, right) retired with a bang June 12 thanks to a good-bye celebration organized by the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Glasgow Middle School.  Close to 150 attended the event, which was held at the Louisiana State University International Cultural Center to honor the seven-year principal of Glasgow Middle. 

Current and former students of the 565-student school either attended the event or sent letters of appreciation, which were read by PTA President Mary Juneau.  Some comments from those letters include:  “You gave me and several other students second chances to correct our problems,” “I’ve become a better person because of you” and “I changed my attitude for you because I loved it when you told me ‘good job’ or that you were proud of me.”

O’Dell said she was drawn to a career in education at an early age.  “In school, as a student I tutored the other kids in the class, put up the bulletin boards and even ran the Ditto (copier) machine for the whole school when I was in the fifth grade,” she said.  “I started college in Biomedical Engineering with a 4.0 grade point average but soon changed to Education. I have taught every grade and every subject except Physical Education, Art and Music.  In addition, I have taught in the first school ever to earn the state’s 5-Star rating and the absolutely worst-ranked elementary school and everything in between -- rural and urban.”

The principal’s wide range of educational experience paid off for Glasgow Middle School.  This year alone, the school boasts a student who is the national Raytheon MATHCOUNTS winner, student winners in the national Get to Know Your Neighbor wildlife art contest, a Talented Art students’ art sculpture exhibit on bugs at the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans, the title of top school in the Junior Division of the Region VII Science and Engineering Fair at LSU, 47 students being invited to participate in the Duke Talent Search and much more.