Dr. Kristen Walls

Following the resignation of former Tyler Legacy Principal Dan Crawford, the Tyler ISD board of trustees has selected a former Robert E. Lee High School assistant principal to lead the school.

On Thursday during a special school board meeting, trustees named Dr. Kristen Walls the new principal of Tyler Legacy High School.

She was previously academic dean and assistant principal at then-named Robert E. Lee High School from 2017 through 2020. In 2020, she became principal at Hogg Middle School.

Dan Crawford resigned on June 4 after police investigated him on June 3 for allegedly possessing a controlled substance. A police report stated he was in possession or concealed less than one gram of a “white powdery substance.”

On June 28, he turned himself in to detectives and was booked and later released from the Smith County Jail regarding possession of a penalty group one controlled substance in a drug-free zone charge. According to police documents and lab results, the substance found in Dan Crawford’s home was confirmed to be .22 grams of cocaine.

Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said Walls will add to the district’s goal of successful student outcomes.

“We’re excited to announce Dr. Walls as the principal at Tyler Legacy High School,” Crawford said. “As a former academic dean at the school, Dr. Walls’ familiarity with existing systems, students, staff, and families will give her an immediate advantage to lead the campus successfully. Thanks to the previous work done by campus faculty, staff, and students, Tyler Legacy is in a prime position to become an A-rated campus. Dr. Walls has the intangibles to capture those successful student outcomes.”

Walls joined Tyler ISD in 2009 at Robert E. Lee High School, where she served as a CTE health science department lead and technical dual credit instructor. She then became the health science department head at the Career and Technology Center.

In the administrative role beginning in 2017, Walls managed campus operations, redesigned processes to increase achievement ratings, and restructured the Advanced Placement program. As the leader of the campus science programs, the school received Texas Education Agency science academic distinctions for two consecutive years.

“I am genuinely honored to serve the students, staff, and community at Tyler Legacy High School,” Walls said. “My goal is to build upon the success that TLHS has already achieved and continue to create a positive environment where all students can grow to reach their full potential.”

At Hogg, she implemented systems and protocols for academic and social-emotional successful student outcomes. Hogg students achieved academic gains in math and English. She added school leadership organizations and an advisory period to teach Leader in Me leadership development strategies.