School History: Our Principals

The photograph at top was taken in March 1989, during our school’s 20th anniversary celebration. The first four principals of Beech Tree Elementary School are pictured.

McTurner Waid (1968-78)

Black and white head-and-shoulders portrait of Principal Waid. The picture comes from a FCPS school directory printed in 1969.
Prior to his appointment as principal of Beech Tree, McTurner Waid was the principal of Jermantown Elementary School in the City of Fairfax.

Courtney G. Pelley (1978-82)

Color photograph of Principal Pelley posing with Beech Tree’s SCA officers from the 1979 to 1980 school year. 13 children are pictured, posed on the sidewalk in front of our building.
Principal Pelley is standing on the far left in the back row. She was a graduate of Sweet Briar College, and was an assistant principal at Greenbriar West Elementary School before coming to Beech Tree. After leaving our school, she served as principal of Haycock and Stenwood elementary schools.

Margaret “Pam” Readyhough (1982-86)

Black and white photograph of Principal Readyhough from our 1984 to 1985 yearbook. She is seated at her desk and is looking up from her work.
Principal Readyhough came to Beech Tree from Glen Forest Elementary School where she had been an assistant principal. After leaving our school, she became the principal of Orange Hunt Elementary School.

Carol A. Bradley (1986-91)

Black and white photograph of Principal Bradley from our 1989 to 1990 yearbook. She is seated at a table speaking with two students about their work.
After leaving Beech Tree, Ms. Bradley became the principal of Bren Mar Park and Terraset elementary schools.

Mary E. Barker (1991-97)

Color photograph of Principal Barker from our 1995 to 1996 yearbook. She is standing with a group of five smiling children.
During her second year as principal, Ms. Barker was nominated for the FCPS Principal of the Year award. After leaving Beech Tree, she became the principal of Hunt Valley Elementary School. 

Naomi V. Martin (1997-05)

Color photograph of Naomi Martin from our 1995 to 1996 yearbook. She is in her office, standing behind her desk. A bookshelf and computer a visible behind her.
Ms. Martin is pictured in 1996, when she was an assistant principal at Beech Tree. Ms. Martin worked in public education for 33 years as a teacher, program specialist, and principal. After she retired in 2005, the School Board named our library “The Naomi V. Martin Children’s Library” in her honor.

Terry Phillips (2005-12)

Color head-and-shoulders portrait of Principal Phillips from our 2005 to 2006 yearbook.
During Ms. Phillips' principalship, Beech Tree underwent an extensive $8.3 million renovation. Principal Phillips left Beech Tree in December 2012 to take a position as an Educational Specialist in the FCPS Title I Office. She was succeeded by Keith Hall, who served briefly in an interim capacity.

Karim Daugherty (2013-2022)

Color head-and-shoulders portrait of Principal Daugherty.
Ms. Daugherty was appointed principal of Beech Tree in February 2013. She began her teaching career in Texas and has been with FCPS since 2000. She taught at Lane and Glen Forest Elementary Schools before coming to Beech Tree in 2006 as the assistant principal. Principal Daugherty completed her undergraduate studies at George Mason University and earned her master’s degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Texas.  Ms. Daugherty transferred to be Principal of  Oak Street Elementary in Falls Church Public Schools.

Taiia Clarke (2022 - Present)

Mrs. Taiia Clarke
The Region 2 Leadership Team is pleased to announce Mrs.Taiia Clarke as the new principal at Beech Tree Elementary, effective November 14, 2022.

Ms. Clarke has nineteen years of experience in public education, with eight years serving as a school administrator. Her career started as a special education teacher, serving students with Autism in Norfolk, Virginia. Ms. Clarke holds a Bachelor's from Audrey Cohen College, a Master's from Regent University, Post Master's from George Washington University, and is currently working on her Doctorate from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Ms. Clarke is excited to join the Beech Tree Elementary family.