After more than 20 years of dedicated service in the classroom, longtime educator Andrea Folger has been named the new principal of Gentry Primary School, marking a major milestone in a career deeply rooted in the Gentry School District and a life passionately lived in a city she loves.
Folger, a proud graduate of Gentry High School, isn’t moving far with her new role – and is already very familiar with the students, having served as assistant principal at the school for the past two years. Still, this new position represents a significant achievement, fulfilling a career dream she first imagined while growing up on a farm near Gentry.
It’s true: Big dreams do begin in small towns.
“I’ve learned the secret is to find joy in the journey, and that’s certainly true throughout my career as a teacher and now as a principal,” said Folger, who will officially begin her new role on July 1. “I’ve had a lot of joy in my career here at Gentry, and I know that will carry over into this next chapter.”
Without the distractions of iPhones and video games, Folger remembers the imaginative games she and her younger sister, Deitra, created while growing up on a dairy farm—one game in particular where Folger would act as a teacher. She knew at a young age that teaching was her calling and became the first in her family to graduate from college. And she didn’t stop there.
Folger earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from John Brown University and her master’s degree from Arkansas State University. She also holds an educational specialist degree in educational leadership.
Reflecting on her career, Folger recalled that she initially wanted to be a kindergarten teacher when she graduated from college but accepted a position teaching fifth grade at Gentry. When a kindergarten position opened in another district, Folger felt called to honor her commitment to Gentry. She never regretted that decision – and learned the value of teaching children of various ages, a lesson that later shaped her leadership approach.
Her experience, along with her personal loyalty and strong sense of integrity, continues to guide her as she steps into this new leadership role. She credits her parents, Jim and Irene, for being strong motivators and supporters in her life and instilling such important values involving integrity and trust.
“If I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it – that’s a value I learned from an early age,” she said. “Loyalty means something, and I see that a lot in our school as well. We are building that culture with our team, and our students are developing those skills too. I’m in Gentry because I want to be in Gentry. And I feel that our teachers share that same desire and level of commitment.”
In her new role, Folger says she wants to build even stronger relationships with teachers, students, and families, creating an environment where collaboration leads to student success. That includes retaining great teachers – more than 90 percent of the school’s teachers are returning for the 2025–26 school year, well above Arkansas’s average of 77 percent – and establishing an environment where there are no barriers to effective teaching.
“I was their peer – I taught for 21 years – and I’m a lifelong teacher and a lifelong learner,” Folger said. “I’ve been where they are, and I understand the challenges. I never want to forget that. I have a staff that really knows who I am, and I know that connection will continue in my new position.”
If you want to know Folger’s leadership style, just know you won’t often find her in her office during the school day. Instead, look for her in the hallways, the lunchroom, or wherever else she’s needed – eager to be a principal who is visible and engaged.
“It’s so much fun to walk into the lunchroom and visit with our students,” she said. “And I will lead with these two principles: We will make sure our students are safe, and we will make sure they are learning. As long as we’re doing those things, we’re going to be successful.”
“For this age group, it’s about developing character,” Folger continued. “What does it mean to be a Pioneer? What does it mean to be a good person? It means being kind. Being helpful. And we’ll also celebrate our successes along the way.”
One thing is for sure – you’ll never question her commitment to Gentry or the school. And despite more than two decades with the district, she’s not slowing down.
“I plan on retiring here, and I plan to work for as long as I can,” she said. “I have a long-term plan: I love the kids, and I love the staff. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
She’s come a long way from teaching her kid sister on the dairy farm but enters this new chapter with humility and life lessons rooted right here in Gentry.
“I’m still just that farm girl from down the road,” she said. “But I’m that farm girl who is now a principal, doing something that I love in a place where I’m thrilled to be.”
Personal Life
Andrea has an interesting love story. She met her husband, Chuck, in high school, and they dated before a breakup separated them during their college years. Years later – at a Gentry High School football game, fittingly – Chuck bumped into Andrea’s parents, which led to a reconnection and a reuniting phone call between Chuck and Andrea. The rest is history.
The couple has been married for more than 25 years and has two adult children, Lauren and Noah. Andrea and Chuck live about a mile from Andrea’s parents and that special farm where she grew up – where they still gather for dinner together at least twice a week.