New DMS principal regales Rotarians, praises school system

When the scheduled speaker had to back out at the last minute, Demopolis Rotarians instead got a chance to meet the new Demopolis Middle School principal and found themselves laughing in enjoyment over the stories he told.

Dr. Gary Gibson provided a brief overview of his background in education and athletics and gave high praise to Demopolis and its school system.

“The middle school is open,” he told the group. “Come anytime. We’d love for you to see what’s going on.”

The new principal, a native of a small town in western North Carolina, started off as a Baptist minister. He and his wife traveled to churches in Georgia and Tennessee. He directed the children’s choirs and became a coach in the local school system. When his wife accepted a job at Columbus State in Georgia, they moved. He became a coach at a Columbus school and then began teaching at Columbus State.

He did a lot of research on both the city and its schools before applying for the job.

“To be a rural area you’ve got one of the best school districts I’ve ever seen,” he said. “Whoever the men and women were decades ago who made some wise decisions that you quickly run into when you talk to people, when you speak with the students, when you speak with teachers, somebody did some great planning, made some great decisions and had great wisdom.”

Gibson has been superintendent in two communities. “They were not like this,” he said. They didn’t work together, to work for good things.

During those times, however, he learned a lot, especially how to improve school systems. In spite of his experience in education, this is his first time to be a school principal.

“I’m glad to be a principal for the first time,” he said. “Any level you send me to, I love it.”

“Your middle school has made a lot of progress over the last two years,” he continued. Former principal Derrick Hester “loves, loves academics” and it shows in the improvement at the school. “I hope I can continue what Derrick started.”

The goal, he said, is for DMS to be in the top 10 percent of middle schools in Alabama.

“I’ve never seen a group of teachers like this,” Gibson said. At the professional development earlier that day, “they just jump in and were talking and working. You talk about involved!”

Gibson researched Supt. Tony Willis before he came. “You made a wonderful selection,” he said. “I’m happy and proud to be working for him.”