HAHIRA — With a new leader at its helm, one school will continue its focus on promoting maximum student learning within a safe and nurturing environment.

Kip McLeod was recently named principal of Hahira Middle School, which serves more than 1,100 students in grades six, seven and eight. Making the transition from assistant principal at Lowndes High School was eased by his new academic family.

“I love it,” he said. “I love being fast-paced. I love a challenge, and it’s definitely a challenge working with this age group. I have a great faculty and staff up here.”

McLeod is no stranger to the Lowndes County School System. He was worked in it for 14 years beginning in 1991 as a physical education teacher at Lowndes Middle School.

And this is not the first time McLeod has worked at Hahira Middle School. After leaving Lowndes Middle School in 1997, he was named athletic director and head football coach at Hahira Middle School.

While at Hahira Middle School, McLeod’s predecessor, Newnan Sanchez, opened his eyes to the administrative side of education. He needed someone to fill an assistant principal vacancy left when Marilyn Orr accepted the principal’s position at Dewar Elementary School. The long-time physical education teacher jumped at the chance.

“I really enjoyed it,” he said. “I had spent years teaching physical education and was ready for a change.”

In 2000, McLeod was named assistant principal at Lowndes Middle School. Three years later, he was transferred to Lowndes High School, where he oversaw the development of the freshman academy.

“I really love the planning, analyzing and coordinating aspects of administration,” he said. “I also enjoy dealing with teachers and students and being in a position to communicate with them and get to know them better. My goal is to do whatever it takes to make their day more comfortable so they can do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

As principal of Hahira Middle School, McLeod plans to continue the academic tradition of excellence established under Sanchez’s leadership. He said his goal is to accentuate the positive and redirect the negative.

“I am excited to be in a very good school,” he said. “My job is to keep us at the top. We are sitting very good right now and need to stay there. With a few little bitty changes, we are only going to get better.”

Hahira Middle School is located at 101 S. Nelson St., just off of Main Street in Hahira. It can be reached by calling (229) 794-2838.



To contact reporter Jessica Pope, please call (229) 244-3400, ext. 255.