Building partnerships, walking a mile: Sumter schools welcome community leaders to be principals for a day

Sumter School District's Principal for the Day program Wednesday was a day for local business and community leaders to walk a mile in the shoes of a principal and help the district further community partnerships.

For David Eargle, engineering manager at Caterpillar's Hydraulics plant, it was that and also a day to return home. Eargle was the principal for the day at Furman Middle School. Twenty-five years ago in 1993, Eargle graduated from Furman when the school on Bethel Church Road was a high school in Sumter County.

He said he chose Furman for the principal for the day program for that reason. Eargle said he got to see the old gym and cafeteria at his former school where he has so many memories. But, he said, he was also impressed to see the present-day version of Furman.

Students, teachers and administrators were engaged and on task with lessons, Eargle said. The school's show choir even performed a few Christmas songs for him.

He said he also liked seeing a new specialized program, AVID, in place at the school. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination and provides a bridge for many students to get to the next level.

The program helps identify and address gaps students are facing - whether it be reading, organizational skills or something else - to allow them to excel and become more college ready.

He was so impressed with what he saw that at the end of his time at the school, Eargle said he sat down with Principal Michael Riggins and brainstormed options where his company could build a partnership with the school to try to help the kids.

In management with Caterpillar, Eargle said he interviews a lot of job candidates and sees many high school graduates who struggle with soft skills.

"So, I think that is something I can bring to the table and help with," Eargle said. "Maybe I will go back to Furman and do some mock interviews with some of the eighth-graders and show them what's expected to be successful at the next level. Things they can do today to get to the job level."

In total, 27 leaders from across business, industry, local government and the military in Sumter participated in the event and a wrap-up luncheon at Crestwood High School to close the half-day's activities.

Keith Ivey, Sumter County site director with the Midlands Fatherhood Coalition, was principal for the day at the district's Early Head Start Center at Crosswell Park. At the luncheon, he said he was also impressed by the great attitude he saw at the school, and his coalition plans to adopt a fatherhood initiative at the center - similar to what it already has at Willow Drive Elementary.

Interim Superintendent Debbie Hamm closed the activities by saying the district's success couldn't be possible without its community partnerships. She said she tries to use the word "partnerships" carefully because both sides should benefit in the end.

"Partnerships go two ways," Hamm said. "We hope with the investment you make in our kids, we'll pay you right back in this community in having a well-educated and prepared workforce. So, it's a true partnership that we are working toward here, and we appreciate you being a part of what happened today."