“Tuck in your shirt,” said Selma High principal Wanda McCall, pointing authoritatively to random students as she stands in the school’s dark hallway. “You know better.”

McCall’s, at times, direct style of leadership may catch some off guard, but McCall, with a smile to win over the most rebellious students, insists it’s all in love.

“I’m gonna do what I need to do to make Selma High a successful and effective school,” McCall said. “You’ve got to have order and structure in order for teaching and learning to be implemented.”

McCall came to Selma High in 2008 after serving as ninth grade principal once before in the early 2000s. As principal of both School of Discovery and Clark Elementary for several years, McCall came back to Selma to make a difference.

“It’s a demanding job, it doesn’t stop,” McCall said. “I work seven days a week, birthdays, holidays … it’s not about the money, it’s the love of teaching and children. They can’t begin to pay me for what I do every day. My rewards (are) when students come back after being successful … come back and help their community out.”

Colleagues and students alike appreciate McCall’s tough love approach.

Selma assistant principal and head basketball coach Woodie Jackson, who started with McCall, said McCall makes sure all students and teachers follow the rules and regulations to a “T.”

“She’s been there, she’s done an outstanding job,” Jackson said. “She’s real tough and hard-nose but at the end of the day she loves them and is like a mother to the children … she’s good for the school.”

And with ongoing construction for the new school causing changes in teacher/student parking and a possible hectic atmosphere, McCall handles it with grace.

“It hasn’t really been a problem because we direct kids to go to designated places in the building,” McCall said. “Kids come through the back gates. At first we had a problem with traffic but everything is going smoothly now.”

Dedication to her students and staff is what keeps McCall coming back every school year.

“When I first came here, they (students) were out of control,” McCall said. “Students are much more disciplined and much more manageable now. We’re trying to instill in them responsibility, integrity, school pride. Our mission is to provide rigorous classes and support so all students can become career and college ready and receive a diploma.

“I love what I do,” McCall said. “I want to see Selma High and students be successful.”