Family Principals

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By Azell Cavaan—-

Sisters, Linda Wilson, principal of Mary M. Lynch Elementary School, and Sharon Ralls, principal of Lincoln Elementary School.
Sisters, Linda Wilson, principal of Mary M. Lynch Elementary School, and Sharon Ralls, principal of Lincoln Elementary School.

Linda Wilson is quick to admit that her big sister is in charge.
“It’s been that way since we were little and it never changed,” said Wilson about her only sister, Sharon Ralls. “She’s still the one who does all the family planning and organizing. She even helped plan my honeymoon.”
But there is one matter where the younger sibling always has and always will pull rank.
“The tables turn when it comes to education administration,” Ralls conceded during a recent interview in her office at Lincoln School.
Both sisters are Springfield Public School principals, a position Wilson has held for 18 years and Ralls since 2011.  Aged just two years apart, the sisters have always been close but they confess sharing principal-ships in the same district has fostered a friendly bout of sibling rivalry.
“You could say we have a collaborative, competitive relationship,” they quipped, practically in unison.
The competition is fiercest around their school’s daily attendance rate and annual MCAS performance.
Wilson, who has worked as an educator with Springfield Public Schools for 29 years, is principal of Mary M. Lynch Elementary School on South Branch Parkway. Ralls, who has been with the district for 18 years, is principal at Lincoln Elementary School on Chestnut Street.
Born to the late John Scott and their mother Theodora, who lives in Florida, the sisters were reared in a household that valued education and the arts. The girls played music and sang in grade school and graduated from Classical High. Ralls went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political economy from Williams College in Williamstown, MA, an MBA from Western New England University and a master’s degree in education from American International College.
Wilson earned an associate’s degree from Bay Path University, a bachelor’s degree in education and English from American International College, and a master’s degree in education from Springfield College.
These days, their conversations mostly revolve around education but the path taken by each sister to her current administrative role was distinctive.
Wilson knew since grade school that she would become a teacher.
“As soon as I received my degree, I called the Springfield Public Schools Human Resources Department every single day for a full year,” said Wilson. “When I finally got hired as a science teacher at Glenwood, I was so happy.”
Ralls, who resigned as a bank vice president to raise her children, took an interest in education only after her own kids started school. Her volunteerism as lunch mother quickly mushroomed into PTO secretary then treasurer then president.
“I found that I loved every aspect of education and decided to pursue it as a career,” she said.
Though the sisters are known for throwing lavish parties (always hosted at Ralls’s house) and enjoy beach lounging during family vacations, they draw a clear line when it comes to work. The two recently attended a principals’ conference in Nashville, where Ralls’ daughter is a third-year medical student.
“When it’s business, we’re all business,” said Ralls.
Both women are members of several professional organizations but they insist the best career advice they’ve ever gotten has come from the other one.
“Linda is the voice of reason that I need,” said Ralls. “She helps me put things in perspective so that I can focus better.”
“Sharon urges me to explore new opportunities and to be more open to change,” said Wilson. “She pushes me to be less conservative.”
It’s the kind of mentorship that only a sister can give and each woman believes she is a better school leader because of it.  ■

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