Daymond Ray, Principal of Oak Hill Middle School, has always been well aware of how perception shapes reality. When he took on the responsibility of Oak Hill Middle, one of his first acts was to change the school logo to differentiate the middle school from Baldwin High School. He also adopted the school motto "Our Goal is Excellence", in order to filter that perception of excellence down through the administration, to the faculty, and down to the students.
The coordinated goal of excellence drew them all together, Ray said, "I wanted my faculty and staff to know that we weren't just a faculty and staff. We're a family... so we had to first begin to treat each other with more respect, and treat students with more respect." In the years since taking the role of principal, Ray has noted a dramatic increase in the perception of Oak Hill. "The community now sees us in a different light," Ray said, "they're more open to sending their kids here because they know it's a caring culture, where education and student achievement is the first and foremost thing."
Ray was originally a physical therapy major at Georgia Southern, and was introduced to the role of educator through working with middle school basketball teams and serving as an assistant coach. "I grew a love for education while I was doing that coaching," he said, "so I changed my major to health and physical education and graduated in 2002." Ray taught Health and Physical Education at Johnson County for a number of years, and was mentored by Mr. Curtis Dixon, the school principal, who saw the leadership potential in him early on. Ray had a profound gift for doing more than just "rolling out the balls" as he put it, he was able to expand students' perception of the game. "I got the kids actually involved in the lessons and did several things for the greater community in Johnson County," Ray said.
It was this ability and profound servant leadership that inspired Ray to broaden his scope. He achieved a Masters Degree in Foundation of Education from Troy University and another, along with a specialist degree, in Educational Leadership at Georgia College, before he began searching for ways of expanding his sphere of influence.
"I got an opportunity at Telfair County," Ray said, "as their Assistant Principal." He served as an AP for only a year before moving up to Principal for the next 5 years before the role of Principal of Oak Hill Middle opened up. "I went from a high school with about 450 kids to a middle school at that about 1200 kids, so it was a big culture shock and a community shock for myself." Dealing with the shock of coming to a large place from a relatively small one is something Ray shared with a lot of his students, and understands thoroughly, especially now as safety mandates continue to relax in the wake of the pandemic.
According to the NASSP's survey of America's School Leaders and High School Students, 73% of school leaders report that they needed help with their mental or emotional health last year. Part of National Principals Month is about recognizing that need and understanding the weight of the responsibility that our schools' principals carry. Ray said that, after 21 years of educational leadership, and 12 years in educational leadership, he's no stranger to the stress.
"It is a very stressful, stressful job," he said, "it's a taxing job, and I would say the number one thing that helps me get through it is my wife." Ray is married to Baldwin Special Education Coordinator Chasity Ray, and they have two daughters and two grandchildren. In addition to confiding in his wife and family, Ray keeps up a strictly positive outlook. "I like to say, honestly, that I make this job look easy," he said, "I make everyone think that they can be a principal, and they do have such qualities, but my role as the leader is always to keep a level head. If I look stressed, then my teachers are going to feel stressed, and then the kids are going to be stressed. So I make sure to walk around every day with a smile on my face."
Ray added that, when all else fails, then on the weekend, he'll go and play a round of golf. "When I get on the golf course," he said, "all things fade away."
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