This article features Smokey Road Middle School, a Title I school serving 850 middle level students in grades 6-8. The school is located on the outskirts of Newnan, Georgia, a historic city of approximately 27,000 residents. The growth and development of the Coweta County School District is largely attributed to its close proximity to Atlanta. In the first years after the original school, Central Middle, was closed in 1999 and replaced with Smokey Road's handsome, modern building, the school had a difficult adjustment. With the appointment of Laurie Barron, the instability, lack of trust among the staff members, and poor student progress quickly came to a halt and was replaced by a common mission and goals, shared leadership, and a focus on continuous academic improvement. Coming from a broad background as a high school English teacher, coach, and middle school assistant principal, Principal Laurie Barron discusses the experiences that helped shape her into a strong, dynamic middle school leader.