Ms. Wallace is beginning her 23rd year in education and has been an administrator in CMS for the past 11 years. She also has 11 years of teaching experience in Cumberland and Mecklenburg counties in grades K-3rd. 14 of those years were in rural and urban Title I schools, 5 years in a transition school, 4 years in a TD Magnet program, 3 years on a military base, and 3 years in a year-round school. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education (concentration in American Indian Studies) from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a Master of Education Degree (specialization in Mathematics) from Fayetteville State University. She received her principal licensure from Queen's University in the first cohort of the School Executive Leadership Academy in 2013. 

One of the greatest accomplishments of Ms. Wallace’s career was being a part of the team that led successful efforts in merging two communities with very different demographics into one school. In 2018, CMS collapsed six schools into three new schools with more diverse populations and distinct, unified identities. After 5 years of restructuring, and a consistent unwavering trajectory, she ended her tenure there with 95% of K-2 students at or above grade level and a 22% increase in the composite EOG score, moving the school from a D to an A on the NC School Report Card. This experiment continues to serve as a model for narrowing achievement and opportunity gaps through transition schools and still impacts communities and schools across our district. 

Ms. Wallace is a 4th generation educator and 4th generation graduate of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She served as Vice President of the alumni association and lobbied for legislative adoption of the NC Promise Tuition Plan Bill. This bill reaffirms the state’s commitment to making higher education affordable and accessible. Through NC Promise, the state has significantly reduced tuition at three UNC System institutions, increased educational access, reduced student debt, and increased our state’s economy. Additionally, she has earned community service awards at the local and state levels for a platform she created, Tools for Teachers. She partnered with local companies to collect and distribute over $91,000 in classroom materials to 3,000 teachers in the district. A scholarship fund was also established that awarded three area teachers scholarships for furthering education, 

Ms. Wallace has been Teacher of the Year in two districts, led the design of a model MTSS school, and trained school leaders on that framework. She is a certified Coach for professional educators and has led teams in building sustainable faith-based and corporate partnerships. Recently, she served as a panelist at a civil rights forum where she spoke to groups about building empathy, developing positive identities, and promoting critical thinking about injustices to make schools safe and equitable for all students. As you can tell, she is a strong advocate for public education at the pre- and post-grad levels. She is determined to create spaces where teacher empowerment knows no boundaries, and each of her students will learn, grow, be kind, and shatter glass ceilings.

Ms. Wallace is a contemporary and classically trained dancer and former NBA cheerleader. Although retired, she still dances and works with the NBA at alumni events and other community service-related opportunities. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family, including her 6-year-old son, Kamden (her greatest accomplishment). Ms. Wallace is so excited to be a part of the Palisades Park family.