As a Winston County native and a 1996 graduate of Louisville High School, Derek Hopkins is definitely invested in the Louisville Municipal School District. He is excited and thankful for the opportunity to lead Eiland Middle School as principal.
There is great tradition and history at the EMS campus, which at one time was Camile High School, and Hopkins recognizes the responsibility of carrying on and building upon the foundation left by others.
Eiland Middle School has approximately 450 in grades six through eight. Hopkins said it is a team effort, for him, the faculty, and staff to provide the proper learning atmosphere and motivation for the students to be successful. He added that the buck stops with him, as he is responsible for all students and staff, as well.
In addition to regular classes, EMS offers an array of extracurricular activities including football, baseball, basketball, soccer, archery, Beta Club, and more, and Hopkins stated that he wants to see the school continue to grow and improve.
One area Hopkins is especially interested in is parental involvement, which he said is vital to a successful educational experience for students. Hopkins added that in almost every case, if a student is doing well in school, he can tie that back to a parent who is involved.
Hopkins has served with the Louisville Municipal School District for 11 years, first at Noxapater Attendance Center, as a teacher and coach. After that, he served as a coach and teacher at EMS, then as the assistant principal.
Hopkins and his wife, Cylesha, have three children, a daughter, Alicia, and two sons, Derius and Kristian, who all came through the LMSD system.
