STARKVILLE — Lewis Holloway has a busy summer ahead of him.
That time of the year is typically the busiest for school administrators, as they work to prepare for the next school year. But for Holloway, Starkville School District’s new superintendent, he’ll have to get caught up to speed with the district’s budget, policies and strategic plan. Holloway, who tendered his resignation at Bulloch County Schools in Georgia Thursday evening, will sign a four-year, $175,000 per-year contract next week. He’ll begin work on July 1.
Holloway has been a superintendent at four other school districts in Georgia, Arkansas, Alaska and Mississippi. He said it typically takes 100 days to determine a path for the next school year and beyond.
“What I’ve found out, the honeymoon lasts about one day,” said Holloway, who’ll visit Starkville next week. “Immediately, you’ll be assessing information, researching the district and what needs to be improved. The things that need working on most might be the things that have a legal question or might create legal problems for the district. That very much might include special education, where I’ve had experience working through issues.
“The district has a quality review report coming up in April, which is a really big deal for district accreditation,” added Holloway. “Then, there’s the budget, which I’d really like to be involved with. There’s a lot to consider.”
Holloway said one of his goals this summer will be helping the district establish a strategic plan.
“I’ve read some documents from, I want to say, some meetings in November,” Holloway said, “but I don’t know if that document was completed. There were some goals established, like increasing graduation rates, increasing the number of students performing basic and proficient on the MCT-2, but I’d like to understand that better.”
Holloway likens the Starkville job to Bulloch County, which he took over five years ago. Both districts are on solid academic achievement footing and have strong community support. Both districts have a major university — Georgia Southern is in Statesboro — in their own backyard. Holloway also ran the Clarke County School District in Athens, home of the University of Georgia.
Though taking over a well-run district can make identifying goals tougher, the one constant in Holloway’s last three stops has been maintaining a strong working relationships with university officials. He said his schools in Bulloch County benefited from concurrent courses between the high school and college and numerous science-based trips and seminars.
“It’s a huge bonus,” he said. “I’ve served on the (GSU) dean of education’s search committee. I met with the dean’s cabinet in discussing assessment issues and how we assess it with our department. They’re a great resource. It’s one of the greatest resources you can have as a school district.”
Planting a flag
Holloway’s work history might suggest he won’t be at Starkville very long, but the veteran administrator said Starkville presents a special opportunity.
Not since working in Richton has Holloway had the opportunity to work in his home state. Holloway has family members in Columbus, where his grandfather, A.E. Lucas, was a minister. His wife, Karen, is a graduate of Mississippi University for Women. Holloway, like several family members, holds a degree from Mississippi State University.
“It feels like we’re coming home,” Holloway said. “We’re looking forward to making Starkville our home and getting to know all the great people who live there.”
Holloway said he intends to make Starkville his last stop, and he isn’t interested in retiring anytime soon. Things can change, though.
“At one time in my career, I was interested in being upwardly mobile and moving to bigger districts,” said Holloway, who will move to a district with nearly 5,000 less students. “The thing I’ve learned through my experience, though, is a bigger district doesn’t necessarily make it a more quality district.”
In two trips to Starkville for interviews, Holloway has marveled at how MSU and the city have developed since he obtained his master’s degree. The economic development strengthened his desire to work with the district and help spur continued growth in the city.
He’s excited about working with the public, which he said will be vital in achieving long-term goals. He said the similarities between Starkville’s recent $26 million bond issue to renovate facilities and the $150 million generated through local option sales tax in Bulloch signify a district that’s progressive.
Bulloch County residents voted 95 percent in favor of a trio of sales tax referendums, which helped fund the construction of seven facilities, including three elementary schools.
“When I was going to school, I was greatly bored in school.” said Holloway. “I want to make schools where there’s something exciting to stimulate students anywhere they look. Bond issues require a lot of community support, especially in this economy.”
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