Happy Friday, Ligon Families: 

It is hard to believe we are approaching the halfway point of summer! While this will likely be the only Principal’s Message until August, you can expect a regular cadence of messages on Friday evenings once the school year begins. For now, the topics below will help us to prepare for a successful start.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Dr. Williams
Principal

2025-26 School Year Information Online

For quick and easy access, we have created a 2025-26 School Year page on our website. This page contains (or will soon contain) all the information students and families will need for the beginning of the school year. Please check back frequently as more information will be added throughout the summer.

Ligon: Let’s Talk

While our first Let’s Talk was cancelled due to HVAC issues, I am looking forward to this Monday’s (7/14) session from 3:00-5:00 PM in the Media Center. As a reminder, this is an optional opportunity to connect and share your insights as we plan for the next chapter of the Ligon Legacy. Please RSVP at bit.ly/LigonLetsTalk. Enter through the main entrance on E Lenoir Street. A second session will be held on Monday, August 4th from 8:00-10:00 AM. 

Campus Beautification Day

As we prepare for the new school year, we need your help in making our campus look its best! Please consider joining us for a campus-wide beautification event on Saturday, August 9th from 8:00-11:00 AM. We’ll be weeding, trimming hedges, mulching, picking up litter, and more. Please bring your own yard tools and equipment (gloves, rakes, shovels, clippers, etc.) to help us get the job done. We will provide garbage bags and bottled water. Please sign up to volunteer at bit.ly/ligonlandscape.

Questions? Contact Mr. McRae, Assistant Principal, at bmcrae@wcpss.net. 

Into the Blue Orientation

Into the Blue will be held on Thursday, August 21, from 9:00-11:15 AM. This event is for rising 6th grade students, 7th and 8th grade students new to Ligon, and their families. During Into the Blue, students will be able to tour the building, learn about our school, and meet their teachers. Parents/guardians are invited to participate in their own informational session with administration to support the transition to Ligon. Use the auditorium entrance on S Haywood Street for packet pick-up beginning at 8:30 AM.

Questions? Contact Mr. Glasgow, Assistant Principal, at lglasgow@wcpss.net.

Student Schedules

Students and families can now view schedules in Infinite Campus (the student information system that replaced PowerSchool). Please note, however, that schedules will continue to shift as administration makes corrections throughout the summer. Families will receive notification once schedules are finalized in early- to mid-August. At that time, we will also share the process for requesting a schedule change. Until then, please refrain from calling/emailing to request a change to your student's schedule.

Note: Families should have received an email with instructions for creating a Campus Parent account. If an account hasn’t been created yet, the email will be re-sent weekly until the process is complete. Didn’t receive the email? Contact Ms. James, Data Manager, at mjames6@wcpss.net. 

Bus Transportation

The deadline for families to request transportation or change bus transportation status and guarantee first-day service is Monday, July 14th.

 

• If your student’s current transportation status meets your needs for next school year, no action is required.  

• If you need to request service or change your current transportation status, visit wcpss.net/busrider and complete the Transportation Request form.

• If your student is currently assigned to transportation but will not need it next school year, please submit the Decline Bus form at wcpss.net/declinebus.

Questions? Contact Ms. Liggett, Assistant Principal, at bliggett@wcpss.net. You can also learn more by visiting the WCPSS Transportation page.

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

North Carolina law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Immunization records should be emailed to Ms. James, Data Manager, at mjames6@wcpss.net. These records must be on file prior to the first day of school. 

Free Back-to-School Haircuts and Physical Exams

The Raleigh Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. is partnering with local healthcare providers and barbers to provide free back-to-school haircuts and physical exams for students. These services will be offered at The Kappa Center facility located at 750 King Richard Road, Raleigh NC 27610 on August 16th from 7:00-11:00 AM.

 

Ligon Magnet Middle School Families, 

I am thrilled to introduce myself as the next principal of Ligon Magnet Middle School, effective June 18, 2025, though I would be remiss if I did not begin by also expressing my sincere gratitude to Mr. Scott Lyons for his exceptional efforts throughout his tenure as interim principal, and to Mr. Gary Duvall for his five-plus years of dedicated leadership. It is truly an honor to be next in line to receive the metaphorical baton pass of the Ligon principalship. I look forward to contributing to our school’s longstanding tradition of excellence and am confident that, together, we will embark upon its best chapter yet. 

My career in education began over a decade ago as a special education teacher at Conway Middle School in Northampton County, so I am thrilled to be returning to those middle school roots. After relocating to Wake County in 2016, I taught at Green Hope High School and later Hortons Creek Elementary School. In addition to teaching at all three levels, I served as department chair and coached wrestling, football, basketball, and baseball. I transitioned to school administration in 2021 as an assistant principal at Green Level High School and, since 2023, have served as the school’s Assistant Principal of Instruction. While in that role, I have focused primarily on instructional coaching, professional learning, school improvement, and supporting the intervention and special education departments. Over the course of the last year, I also completed an internship with the WCPSS Central Area Superintendent’s Office, which has equipped me with an understanding of many of our downtown Raleigh schools, their rich histories, and the importance of magnet programming. It was also through that experience that I became drawn to Ligon, in particular. I obtained my bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and my Master of School Administration and Doctor of Education degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Beyond my educational and professional background, my approach to school leadership builds upon my identity as a husband and father. My wife and I are the proud parents of an energetic four-year-old boy and, as a family, we enjoy spending time with our pets (one dog and one cat), outdoors, or attending a wide variety of sporting events. 

As I transition to Ligon in the coming weeks, one of my top priorities will be connecting with you and the broader school community. Details regarding various opportunities to connect and share your insights throughout the summer months will be shared soon via the school website and social media.

In the meantime, should you have any questions or wish to introduce yourself, please feel free to contact me via email at dwilliams7@wcpss.net. 

Yours in partnership, 

Darren J. Williams, Ed.D.