Mrs. Hickson is the first principal of J. Paul Truluck Middle School. She began working in Florence District three at Ronald E. McNair Junior High School in 1994 as a math teacher, then returned as an assistant principal and then as principal. She received her undergraduate degree from the South Carolina State University and has continued her education with courses from Francis Marion University, the University of South Carolina, and Cambridge University. She completed her principal certification at the Citadel. She has also taught in Williamsburg County, Texas, and Louisiana, where she was a teacher coach at a magnet school. Her first administrative position was at J.C Lynch Elementary School.

Her philosophy of education is based on the ideas that all students can learn and that it is the job of the community working together to inspire students to be life-long learners.

As principal of J. Paul Truluck Middle School, it is important to her that all students develop the skills, habits, and confidence necessary to be successful in high school.

The vision of J. Paul Truluck Middle School is to create synergy and to capture as many young people as we can in a learner centered school.