Hello Southwest Middle School Families! I am excited and thrilled to serve as the Principal at Southwest Middle School for the upcoming 2025-2026 School Year and beyond. I am a proud native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and I have been privileged to accumulate more than 25 years of educational service to Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). During my tenure, I have served as an Exceptional Children Teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, District Administrator, and Principal. To sum up my feelings about being an educator, I would simply say, “I am in what I love, and I love what I am in.”

I am a Son to faithful and loving Parents Walter and Vernestine Clyburn, Sibling to an admirable and inspiring Brother Kelvin Clyburn, Husband to a lovely, dedicated and supportive wife Takisha Clyburn, Father to beautiful, intelligent, and precious children Markayle (Kristen), Morgan, and Madison, and Grandfather to lively and vivacious grandchildren Journey and Rylen. Collectively, they are the wind beneath my wings. They embody and motivate me to share our core values of Love, Dedication, Dependability, Family, and Faithfulness in everything that I do. My hope is that core values and characteristics like these reflect our school community and the work that we do at Southwest Middle School.

This school year, I am proud to announce that we are the Southwest Middle School Premiere Patriots, and our mantra is “Making Progress Beyond Possibilities, The Patriots’ Way”. This mantra will guide how we operate and engage as a school community. I am convinced that we (Premiere Patriots) can and will go beyond levels of achievement that are perceived as being possible and enter realms of achievement (academic, behavioral, social-emotional and attendance) that are perceived as being impossible. First and foremost, as Premiere Patriots, WE (all stakeholders) must diminish any form of doubt in our abilities and remember that no one has ever risen to low expectations. I believe it is important that WE (all stakeholders) are intentional with internalizing and embodying what it means to be Premiere Patriots which entails possessing excellence, importance, order and leadership (to name a few). As individuals first, WE (all stakeholders) must buy-in to this mantra/message. Subsequently, our actions will lead to impossible levels/realms of achievement. 

To solidify our efforts as Premiere Patriots, “Making Progress Beyond Possibilities, The Patriots’ Way”, we will do the following (to name a few): 
•    Implement The Patriots’ Way which is also known as The P. A. T. S. (P – I Prepare for excellence, A – I Achieve, T – I Think before I act, S – I Stay safe) to center our focus on teaching and learning as well as teach and reinforce positive behavior.
•    Implement data driven, standards-based instruction.
•    Implement co-taught, small group, individualized and centers-based instruction.
•    Implement measures that promote parent engagement and build community partnerships. 

To say the least, I am deeply enthusiastic and optimistic about our journey together. Please be intentional with making every effort and taking every opportunity to support your Southwest Middle School Premiere Patriots, “Making Progress Beyond Possibilities, The Patriots’ Way”!

Walter Clyburn, Principal
Southwest Middle School