Valdosta Daily Times

Local News

August 26, 2012

New Lowndes High principal on a mission

VALDOSTA — Since officially taking office July 1, new Lowndes High School Principal Jaybez “Jay” Floyd has taken the pulse of the high school and started shaking things up with a mission of changing the culture.

“One of my goals as a principal is to make sure we have a healthy culture,” said Floyd.

While some students have been less than pleased with Floyd’s precise and consistent implementation of the Lowndes County handbook, he feels that it is important to make his expectations clear from the start.

“We’re just enforcing all of the rules in the handbook,” said Floyd.

That is why he met with each individual class to review what he expects from every student.

“Just trying to have high expectations,” said Floyd. “Really just clarifying expectations.”

While not letting kids eat in the hallways and not letting students wear hats in school sounds like trivial concerns, every rule followed is another step towards Floyd’s overall goal of becoming the best.

“I think (Lowndes County Schools Superintendent Wes Taylor) and I have the same core values and the same goals toward education,” said Floyd. “He hired me to come to Lowndes High School and make it one of the best.”

Floyd’s goal of changing the culture isn’t only aimed at students. He also has high expectations of his teachers.

“One of the first things you have to have is consistency of your teachers,” said Floyd.

He feels that there has to be consistency with his administration as well. He brought two new assistant principals from Cartersville — Tan Downer and Brian Edwards — to help meet his goals.

“We have one of the strongest administration teams out there,” said Floyd.

The fastest form of school improvement is when you hire new teachers and new administration, he said.

“I went out and tried to find the very best that was available,” said Floyd.

Now that the principal has his dream team in place, he’s working to see it works consistently in sync.

“We all have to work together,” said Floyd. “That we’re on the same page and that we’re working on the same page.”

That is why one of Floyd’s new expectations is to make sure that every teacher has either a morning or afternoon duty. He feels that because Lowndes is such a big school, it takes everyone to make it run safely and smoothly.

“That has helped out tremendously,” said Floyd. “I have to give complete credit to the teachers.”

Floyd has also been very impressed with his student body. “It’s a great student body,” said Floyd.

Floyd doesn’t only want to make Lowndes High School a place where students want to come to learn, but he wants to make it a place where teachers enjoy coming to work.

“The faculty theme for this year is, Do you love them enough?” Floyd said.

Floyd wants his teachers to be the reason that a kid comes to school and eventually graduates.

“That whole theme has to do with the culture of the school,” said Floyd.

An ideal educational environment is formed from being rich in tradition and giving students a reason to come to school, the principal said.

For more on this story and other local news, subscribe to The Valdosta Daily Times e-Edition, or our print edition

Text Only
Local News
  • memorial day.jpg Memorial Day events planned

    Memorial Day is held each year on the final Monday of May, with this year’s observances on Monday, May 27. Across the country, Americans will honor fallen service men and women, and Lowndes County residents will have many activities available to them as they observe Memorial Day.

    May 25, 2013 1 Photo

  • SGRL.jpg VDT Weekend Update

    News Reporter Caitlin Barker speaks to Bernard Bulemu and Eric Mathis, representatives from the South Georgia Regional Library about their summer programs for kids, teens and adults during the month of June, as well as lists fun summer camps taking place in the Valdosta area.

    May 24, 2013 1 Photo

  • traffic.jpg Troopers prepare for Memorial Day traffic

    Georgia State troopers are preparing for patrols during the peak travel times this coming holiday weekend.

    May 24, 2013 1 Photo

  • 130523-semi_fire001.jpg Blaze damages cars, blocks I-75

    A tractor-trailer transporting automobiles northbound on Interstate 75 Thursday morning caught fire just north of exit 5 in Lake Park.

    May 24, 2013 1 Photo

  • VECA1.jpg VECA recognized at VSU

    Rising juniors from the Valdosta Early College Academy (VECA) were recognized at Valdosta State University Wednesday night as the first group of students to begin earning college credit while still in high school.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • 130522-disaster help second_har Businesses raise funds for Oklahoma disaster

    By now, we’ve all heard about the tragedy in Moore, Okla., a mile-wide, F5 tornado with winds of more than 200 miles per hour carved through 17 miles over a span of 50 minutes on Monday afternoon.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • N1209P63005K.jpg Southwestern State Hospital to close

    One of Thomas County’s largest employers — at more than 700 people — and a longtime regional state mental hospital will close Dec. 31.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • Oklahoma Tornado_Stew.jpg Search for survivors continues

    Helmeted rescue workers raced Tuesday to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children.

    May 22, 2013 3 Photos

  • 130521-bill_shenton003.jpg Curator offers arts a helping hand

    If you’ve been to the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts in the past four years, you have seen the quiet art of Bill Shenton.

    May 22, 2013 2 Photos

  • swampghost1 copy.jpg Albino gators visit Wild Adventures

    Two rare albino American alligators have joined the other gators at Wild Adventures for the summer.

    May 21, 2013 1 Photo

Top News
Community Calendar
Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
Poll

What’s your best advice for graduates?

Go to college or trade school immediately.
Work for a while then seek further education.
Enter the work force.
Intern, ensure an interest is something you can do.
     View Results