Walton named principal for Acton Elementary

A former student at Acton Elementary School will now lead that school as its principal.

Maggie Walton will replace Karla Willmeth, who is moving to a new job as assistant curriculum director, filling the vacancy left by Trisha Suitt.

Walton has worked in public education for 14 years. Eleven of those years were spent at Acton Elementary, where she attended kindergarten through third grade.

The Granbury native and Granbury High School graduate is the daughter of Bruce Baird, founder of the Granbury Dental Center.

Walton received her undergraduate degree from Baylor University, then went on to earn a graduate degree from Texas Christian University and a post-graduate degree from Lamar University.

Her husband Griffin, who Walton said was her high school sweetheart, is also a Granbury native. He is the son of attorney Maurice Walton and the nephew of retired 355th district judge Ralph Walton.

The couple is raising three sons: Baird, who is in sixth grade; Sawyer, who is in fourth grade; and Graham, a second grader. They are active members of StoneWater Church.

A fan of the Dallas Cowboys, the Texas Rangers and the Baylor Bears, the new principal said that her goals include academic excellence and engaging with families.

“That’s an area we were really, really, really strong at for a long period of time and COVID kind of limited our ability to engage in meaningful ways,” Walton said. “So, partnering with our families to ensure that our students reach high levels of academic success is definitely my highest priority of the school year.”