This document summarizes interviews with the new principal, Kerry Billingsley, and a veteran math teacher, Glen Hudson, about a change in leadership at Irwin County High School. Billingsley aims to make students the top priority and improve morale, while Hudson feels the school culture is not being addressed and there could be resistance to change. It is too early to determine if the new principal's approach will be successful.

1. Irwin County High School Change in Leadership
Monica Smith
Walden University
EDUC 6105
Dr Celeste Fenton

2.  Principal  Math Teacher
 5 years  14 years
 Assistant Principal  Member of Principal
Advisory Council
Kerry Billingsley, Sr. Glen Hudson

3.  Ocilla, Georgia  Southern Baptist
 Population 9,931  Named after first
 Agricultural Governor of
 5th Oldest town in Georgia, Jared Irwin
the state of Georgia  Jefferson Davis
 Conservative Memorial
 Sweet Potato
Festival
 Proud of Heritage

4.  Principal
 Assistant Principal
 Curriculum Director
 Faculty and Staff (54)
 Students (380)

5.  “Irwin County High  “Irwin County High
School is student School culture is
focused. Students are individualistic. If
number one. We are teachers see
here to help the something they don’t
students.” like, they don’t do it or
they refuse to do it.
There are no
ramifications for them
not doing it
Kerry Billingsley, Sr. Glen Hudson

6.  The mission of Irwin County High School is to
provide a safe, orderly, and caring
environment where each student has an equal
opportunity to acquire the knowledge, skills,
and attitudes required to function effectively
in society.

7.  Every individual can learn.
 Student learning is the chief priority of our school.
 Every person is a valued individual with unique intellectual, physical, social, and
emotional needs.
 Every individual within our school community deserves to be treated with dignity
and respect.
Individual self-discipline, responsibility, and accountability are essential to
personal development and the learning process.
 Responsible parenting and family values affect learning.
 Teachers, staff, administrators, parents, students, and community members share
in the responsibility for providing a supportive learning environment within our
school.
 Clear goals and high expectations for student achievement will guide the
development of the curriculum and instruction.
 Assessment of students and school personnel is essential to the learning process.
 Assessments of student learning will include a variety of opportunities for
students to demonstrate their achievement.
 The commitment to continuous improvement is imperative if our school is to
enable students to become confident, self-directed, lifelong learners.

8.  Low employee morale
 No school spirit
 Little respect for the administration
 Discipline problems

9.  Internal  Internal
◦ C.A.R.E.S. ◦ Principal
 Commitment ◦ Curriculum
 Accountability
 Respect  External-Testing
 Expectations
 Support
◦ Discipline
• Platinum Pride
Kerry Billingsley, Sr. Glen Hudson

10.  “Democratic. I need to be in and apart of
what is going on. No dictatorship. I want
teachers to know that I am in it with them. I
will not ask them to do something that I
won’t do.” Kerry Billingsley, Sr.

11.  One on One Communication
 Speak to individuals together to resolve
problem

12.  Little Resistance to  Little resistance to
Change change
 Counsel teacher  Teachers will refuse to
do change
Kerry Billingsley, Sr. Glen Hudson

13.  Too early to tell
 Test scores will be an indicator

14.  It is too early to tell if the change is good or
not.
 Principal is student focused.
 Culture of school is not being addressed

15.  Billingsley, K. (2011, October 14). Principal.
(M. Smith, Interviewer)
 Hudson, G. (2011, September 23). Math
Teacher. (M. Smith, Interviewer)
 irwincounty.georgia.gov/