Barrow County School System has announced Julia Hodges as the new principal of Westside Middle School, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. Ms. Hodges is currently the principal of Austin Road Elementary School and says it will be an honor to serve as the next WMS principal.

Her career in education began at Westside Middle School as a teacher. She then taught at Haymon-Morris Middle School before moving into leadership roles at Auburn Elementary and Austin Road Elementary.

"Returning to WMS feels like a meaningful full-circle moment and provides an opportunity for me to bring the experiences I’ve gained in elementary leadership back to the middle school level. I look forward to joining the Husky family and sharing in student growth and milestone moments."

Ms. Hodges will continue in her role at ARES for the remainder of the school year and is looking forward to joining the Husky family.