John D. Savelle

Lee County Middle School West Campus
Lee County School District
Leesburg, Georgia
savellejo@lee.k12.ga.us

John Savelle has served Lee County Middle School West Campus (LCMSW) for over a dozen years: as a principal for the last seven and as an assistant principal before that. In that time, the school has maintained its status as a Georgia Lighthouse School to Watch and earned distinction in 2020-2021 as a Title I Distinguished School, awarded to the top 5 percent performing Title I schools in Georgia. In 2019, citing growth across all areas, the school’s CCRPI was an impressive 88. Under Savelle’s leadership, LCMSW has held a Five Star climate rating every year, boasting the highest staff retention rates in the district. Additionally, parent, student, and staff surveys indicate the school has a welcoming and healthy learning environment. These combined academic and cultural achievements reflect Savelle’s collaborative approach to school improvement, which aims to build teacher buy-in and “share the plan, process, and progress.” LCMSW’s small town setting has also made it even more important for Savelle to champion innovative approaches to education, offering meaningful, real-life learning experiences through a STEM program that has become a regional model for other districts while boosting math and science achievement. Savelle holds an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Albany State University, an M.Ed. in Behavior Disorders from Valdosta State University, and a B.S. in Special Education from Piedmont College.