W.P. McLean Middle School is under new leadership for the 2015 school year.
Melissa Bryan, Fort Worth native, was appointed principal of W.P. McLean Middle School in  June of 2015.
This is Bryan’s first experience as a middle school principal. She takes pride in being a product of the Fort Worth Independent School District. Bryan graduated from Arlington Heights High School before continuing her studies at Auburn University.
She returned to the district after graduation to teach first grade and second grade at Benbrook Elementary School. After teaching at Benbrook for seven years, Bryan served as an administrator for Sam Rosen Elementary School and then Luella Merrett Elementary School. Bryan looks forward beginning a new chapter as principal of McLean.
Her goal is to continue to pursue excellence at McLean in academics, sports, clubs and extracurricular activities this school year.
“We want to maintain the mantra they have here which is ‘excellence in everything,’” she said. “I love that because you look at the front of the school, you look in the gym, you look down the halls and there are trophies and plaques everywhere.”
PTA member MaryEmily Pardue said in an email that Bryan is a welcome addition to McLean.
“McLean Middle School’s motto is ‘excellence in everything’ because at McLean there is an excellent opportunity in everything,” Pardue said. “McLean is an amazing school of family, support, academic and extracurricular opportunity.”
Bryan said she is proud to be part of such a great school.
In 2015, McLean was the only school in Fort Worth to receive all 7 distinctions of academic achievement from the Texas Education Agency. Distinction designations are awarded for achievement in mathematics, reading and language arts, science, social studies, student progress, closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness.
“We were 1 of 153 schools in the state that received all 7 distinctions that are available which is a huge deal,” Bryan said. “We were the only traditional school in Fort Worth that received it.”
Pardue said she believes that Bryan will continue to improve McLean even further.