Meet the familiar face taking charge at Central High School in Macon
The new principal of Central High School is no stranger to Bibb County Schools — or to the high school itself.
Keturah Reese was appointed leader of the Central High Chargers earlier this month, succeeding former principal Chendra Dupree. Reese has been with the district since 2004 and has served in several roles, including an assistant principal at Central High under Dupree for four years. She was also an academic coach at the school for four years.
“I’m not new to what I’m coming back to. I’m just in a new position, but the mentality has always been the same. I’m excited to be back,” Reese told The Telegraph.
Reese added that her oldest daughter currently attends Central High and her youngest daughter attends Miller Magnet Middle School, so she has always been involved in the district’s central school zone.
“All of the children that I have taught have some relatives, so it’s all kind of a big connection for me. It’s a full circle,” she said.
In April 2024, Reese was appointed as the district’s K-12 science coordinator, her most recent leadership role before returning to Central. She was previously a teacher at Ballard-Hudson Middle School, where she was named Bibb County Teacher of the Year for the 2008–09 school year. She was also recognized as one of the top five finalists for the 2016 Bibb County Teacher of the Year while at Westside High School.
Reese said she’s excited to carry on the progress already happening at Central High and to collaborate with her assistant principals to maintain and build momentum.
“I have a deep love for Central,” she said. “Being here for eight years, we did a lot of work to move the school forward, and for me, a lot of the work has been done, so I want to continue the work.”
A Mississippi native with 25 years of education experience, Reese said she is bringing her personal vision to the school, which she calls the “four Es” — empowerment, engagement, excel and education. She said these principles have guided her throughout her career and life.
Reese describes herself as a servant leader who values transparency, accountability and data-driven decision-making. She said one of the things she remembers most about Central is its family-oriented culture and collaborative environment.
“It’s one of the things that really brought me back to the school,” she said. “All of us at Central from the time I’ve been here, we had a heart for children. Children are the center of everything. They’re the reason we do what we do.”
Reese emphasized a desire to strengthen community ties beyond the school building.
“Pouring into these kids is not just the only person we’re pouring into because the more we pour into them, they’re able to pour into the people that are around them. It’s a domino effect for me,” she said.
As the school’s new leader, Reese said she’s enthusiastic about reuniting with Central High’s teachers and pushing the school’s progress forward.
“I’m excited about seeing Central really blow up like it should, seeing the growth, seeing the continuous improvement, and seeing our kids be able to feel good about achieving and just becoming lifelong learners.”
More leadership changes at Central High
The 2025–26 school year brings additional changes to the Central High leadership team. Demeiko Vaughn was recently named assistant principal after serving as assistant athletic director and head volleyball coach at Southwest High School.
Vaughn replaces Roderick Earl, who stepped down at the end of the 2024–25 school year, according to district spokesperson Stephanie Hartley.
Earl had taken over as assistant principal after Reese transitioned to the district science coordinator role in 2024, Hartley said.
Amber Lamar, who was the subject of an online community petition to become Central High’s next principal, will remain assistant principal.