Andrea Y. Talley is the proud Principal of the one and only Melrose High School in Orange Mound/Memphis, Tennessee, where she will lead with unparalleled passion, purpose, and commitment to academic excellence.  She has first-hand experience of the Golden Wildcat Nation where she was voted by her peers as First Alternates for Ms. Freshman, Ms. Sophomore, and Ms. Junior. During her senior year, Ms. Talley was voted as Ms. Senior and served as Class President.  Further, she was selected by her peers among the superlatives as, Most Popular, Best Dressed, and Most Attractive.  As a native of Memphis, reared in the Orange Mound community, Ms. Talley was a proud honor graduate of Melrose High School. Also, taught by her mom (another Melrose alumnus), Ms. Talley played a mean clarinet with our high school band as well played on the basketball, volleyball, and softball teams.  Ms. Talley was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, a member of Charmettes, as well as a host of other school clubs.  In addition, during her first year of college, and after a sincere conversation with our then choir director, Mrs. Mary Evans, Ms. Talley’s thought process began to change. She turned her direction to education as a minor (she was set on a career in law). With this change, Ms. Talley’s focus on education was with the intent of loving and inspiring students to love themselves, accepting nothing but the best for themselves.  Ms. Talley has, since that time, dedicated her life to God, to education, and community empowerment.

Her educational journey includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She later earned two Master’s degrees: one in Educational Leadership from Jacksonville University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Memphis, showcasing her foundation in both educational theory and organizational leadership.

Ms. Talley began her career in education in 1998 and quickly advanced through leadership roles. She became an administrator in 2005, served as an assistant principal for one year, and was promoted to vice principal the following year.  As vice principal of Darnell-Cookman Middle/High school, Ms. Talley achieved a 100% on-time graduation rate for 6 years in a row.  Ms. Talley was appointed to the principalship in 2019, and in 2020, she became Duval County’s Middle School Principal of the Year.  She’s known as a strong, firm, yet fun transformative principal having moved Jefferson Davis Middle School (renamed to Charger Academy) from a school grade of a low D to two points away from a B within 4 years (one and half of those years being COVID/online learning).  She most recently moved Landmark Middle School for the 2024-2025 school year, and in one year moved Landmark’s grade of a C to an A. 

Now, Ms. Talley is returning home and will serve, with PRIDE and HUMILITY, as the Golden Wildcat Principal of Melrose High School, where her own educational journey began.

Throughout her career, Ms. Talley has focused on building student-centered learning environments where all students can thrive. She is a strong advocate for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) having implemented school-wide programs and established her school as a model of high performance and academic excellence from which others can visit and learn.  Her leadership is rooted in inclusiveness, community engagement, and a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives.

Beyond her professional work, Ms. Talley enjoys her family, cooking, shopping, traveling and staying active through playing football and other sports.  She is also deeply involved in community outreach and loves connecting with parents and families to narrow the gap and strengthen the bridge between school and home.

At the heart of everything for Principal Talley is a deep commitment to God first, family second, and then students.  Students are the reason, the focus, and the purpose behind every decision.  She firmly believes that when students come first in the educational process that everything else will fall into place because academic achievement and school culture will rear long-term success.  For Ms. Ms. Talley, every policy, program, and plan is guided by the question: ‘What is best for students?’ Their success is not just a goal- it is the standard by which all decision are made.

Motto- Average is officially over!!!

Hashtag- #NothingButTheBest!!!

Here we go Melrose, Here we go!!!! So proud to be a Wildcat!!  So proud to be a Melrose, Golden, Wildcat!!