Published Monday, December 17, 2007 4:11 PM
Updated Tuesday, January 29, 2008 5:03 PM
Jerome Davis speaks to his staff during a recent meeting.
Davis settling in as Westview principal
Westview Middle School Principal Jerome Davis may be new, but his passion for children and love of learning are helping create a positive atmosphere for students, staff and parents.
Beginning as a science teacher and then working as an assistant principal for three years, Davis was excited to accept the position as a full-time administrator.
"I felt administration would better help me to learn how to open up more opportunities for students to be successful in life," he said.
Influenced by his work with the at-risk children within his church, Davis understands what needs to be done to produce effects and to be a mentor for his students.
"I like helping students who are having problems and turning them around," he said.
Within the Berkeley County School District, WMS has been ranked as a top school in the area, and Davis is continuing to pursue greater opportunities for his students, while learning more about the characteristics of his position.
"I don't know everything about being a principal, but I'm learning something new every day," he said. "Your work is never done. It's not something boring.
"It's not a cookie cutter model."
Originally from Augusta, GA, Davis graduated from Georgia Southern and then taught as a science teacher for eight years, educating students in physical science, chemistry and physics.
During his time at the university, he enrolled in the U.S. Navy in 1992 and worked in the Charleston Naval hospital for four years. Once the hospital had downsized, Davis joined the Navy Reserves and completed his undergraduate degree.
Davis is currently enrolled in the graduate education specialization program at The Citadel, where he will learn more ways to "help students to become productive citizens." He is hoping to receive his Master's degree by the end of the year. He then hopes to obtain a doctorate degree.
"I'm always being educated," Davis said.
His first year as WMS principal has been a learning experience, he said.
Many aspects of his occupation are rewarding such as seeing his students achieve more than they ever imagined. But Davis said he couldn't perform any of his duties without his staff.
"I feel like I'm blessed to work with such a fine group of professionals here," Davis said. "Westview has a great history. I feel it's an honor to become the leader of the school."
But there are difficult features about his job, such as when a relationship with parents becomes damaged. "I want to establish a meaningful relationship with them," Davis said. "That's my goal because they are so important."
It is also hard when students don't reach their potential.
"I feel when a students fails, I fail," said Davis, who added that his job doesn't get any easier when he opens the newspaper to find that one of his students has committed a wrongful act.
"That really hurts," he said. "I ask myself ... was there one more thing I could have done to give that student more opportunities?"
Davis is enjoying his first year. "Be on the lookout because we're going to be doing some great things here," he said. "We're going to meet the challenges that [we] face here and we encourage the community to come see what we're doing."
Davis is married to LaDonna Davis.