Linda Payne's Bio

Linda Payne, Director of Professional Development and Assessment, was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia. As a daughter in a military family, traveling across the country provided many experiences.  She graduated from Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama in 1972. A Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the Auburn University in 1981 and a Master of Education Degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 1988 was followed by earning an Administrative Certification in 1998.

Mrs. Payne has worked in the field of public education for over 35 years, beginning at Loveless Elementary in Montgomery, Alabama teaching multiple grade levels. The Air Force transferred her husband to Little Rock where she began teaching for the Cabot School District in the fall of 1986 at Ward Elementary. With the creation of the Middle School in 1995, Mrs. Payne taught Math and Social Studies until becoming the assistant principal in 2002 and the principal in 2003. She was a founding teacher of the initial Space Camp program in 1993 and became the director of the program for eight years. Taking students and parents to Space Camp is still one of the most rewarding parts of her career. After leaving Middle School, she worked with secondary curriculum at Cabot High School. In 2007, Mrs. Payne became the Director of Professional Development and Student Assessment for Cabot Public Schools.

Mrs. Payne is a member of the Arkansas Association of Education Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the Learning Forward: Professional Development Association.

Mrs. Payne and her husband Kevin have two children who graduated from Cabot High School. As a family, they love to go to the lake, race dirt track cars and attend any sporting event!