THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601260212
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 161 lines
MAYBE IF LINDA J. Byrd believed in reincarnation, she'd consider doing other things with her life, like becoming a full-time scientist.
But assuming people get only one shot on earth, Byrd figures she picked the right profession, shepherding children through their formative years.
Byrd, principal of Crestwood Middle School since 1990, will lead the new Hickory High when it opens this fall. She'll become one of two women to lead city high schools, joining Principal Janet M. Andrejco from Oscar F. Smith High.
Hickory will be the city's sixth high school, and the first new one (as opposed to a replacement building for an existing school) to open in 25 years.
Byrd takes over the Hickory reins Thursday.
She'll tackle one of the toughest jobs educators are called to do - carving a new school's identity out of nothing.
The district's top brass believe that if anyone can do it, Byrd's the one.
Although Crestwood Middle was her first assignment as a principal, she's gained a reputation for being a solid leader.
Under her watch, Crestwood underwent a monumental shift in 1991 from a junior high, with seventh- through ninth-graders, to a middle school, with sixth- through eighth-graders. Middle schools operate much differently from junior highs, so Byrd had to oversee intensive training for her staff and for herself.
But sixth-graders have thrived there, significantly exceeding the citywide average each year for passing the state's Literacy Passport Test on the first try. Last year, for example, 68.4 percent of Crestwood sixth-graders passed, compared with 62.3 percent citywide.
The test is considered a key indicator of a school's academic strength, because it measures students' basic reading, writing, math and test-taking skills.
The percentage of Crestwood students making the honor roll each report card period has risen from around 20 percent when Byrd arrived in 1990 to about 35 percent now, she said.
``We are a school that stresses academics,'' Byrd said.
Byrd has a mix of talents that principals need: she's organized, thorough and focused on instruction. But she's also warm and friendly to a fault. She thrives on the hectic activity that often accompanies the principalship, including being expected to attend all school events.
Perhaps most important, she treats every child like a precious gem waiting to be mined.
``She's done a wonderful job,'' said Vicki L. Solomon, 37, whose daughter, Dani, is in the seventh grade at Crestwood. ``We're going to miss her over there.''
Byrd said she didn't go looking for a new assignment, although she's always loved working with high school kids.
``I was very, very happy doing what I'm doing,'' she said, sitting behind an immaculate desk in her office at Crestwood. Superintendent W. Randolph Nichols approached her after the holidays to see whether she would be interested in the new position.
``I'm very humbled that this opportunity has been given to me,'' she said.
An asset in her favor was that she lives in Hickory, a close-knit area of the city that's expected to latch onto the high school and make it a community center.
``I think having some community contacts and knowing people in the community outside of the school setting is a plus,'' said Nichols, who informally polled citizens and other administrators in the school system for their opinions about who should be appointed before recommending to the School Board earlier this month that Byrd get the job.
``A high school is sort of like a regional school,'' Nichols said. ``People identify sometimes with their region more than they do with the total city. The senior high school, in many many instances, has been sort of the central point in communities.''
But Nichols said that was by no means the only reason he chose her for the position. Byrd is an excellent planner, he said.
``She devotes attention to the details of what has to be done, as far as planning is concerned,'' he said.
``Another strength, I think, is her basic human relations skills. She gets along well with people. By and large, most of the people who come into contact with her not only like her, but respect her.''
Byrd's skills will come in handy over the next seven months. She will have to hire an entire staff, supervise the first scheduling of classes, organize the student body into clubs and a student government, steer the formation of the first PTA and oversee the transfer of students from their old schools.
Hickory will draw students from Deep Creek High, Great Bridge High, Deep Creek Middle and Great Bridge Middle South.
Byrd also will have to smooth the transition for ninth-graders from Deep Creek Middle and Great Bridge Middle School South, who will be entering a large high school for the first time. Formerly, ninth-graders were housed at the middle schools. Those schools now will serve sixth- through eighth-graders.
She'll also have to keep in close contact with the contractors and architects, to impress upon them the need to have the building finished on time.
So far, said Harry B. Blevins, a retired Chesapeake principal who has led the efforts to plan for Hickory's opening until now, the construction is on schedule.
The building is supposed to be ready by August for teachers and other staff members to begin setting up for the opening of classes in September.
``It's a nice facility,'' Blevins said. ``It's going to serve the students and the community very well.''
Blevins approves of the school system's choice of a leader for the new school. Before retiring in 1991, he led Great Bridge High for 23 years. Byrd was one of his science teachers years ago.
``I think they got someone who not only is capable and energetic and highly motivated, they also got someone who has roots in this community,'' Blevins said.
``A lot of people know her, and know she's a quality person,'' he said. ``I think that's always helpful in a community.''
Byrd has big plans for her new school. She's already met with the parents' planning council, set up by Blevins.
She intends to meet with future students soon.
``I think it's important that they start to know me,'' she said. ``All students are going to be a little apprehensive about going into a new school. That's natural.
``I feel like if they get to know me, it may make them a tiny bit more comfortable.''
Byrd said she will emphasize at Hickory the same things she's held dear at Crestwood: high academic expectations, pride, respect and personal responsibility.
``Hickory High School's going to be the best high school in the state of Virginia,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
FIRST PRINCIPAL
Linda J. Byrd
LINDA JONES BYRD, 47
Hometown: Chesapeake
Education: Great Bridge High School, class of 1966; bachelor's
degree in science education with a concentration in biology, Old
Dominion University, 1970; master's degree in science education with
a concentration in biology and chemistry, Old Dominion University,
1974
Resume: Science teacher, Crestwood High, 1970-1971; science
teacher, Indian River Junior High, 1971-1977; science teacher and
department head, Great Bridge High, 1977-1986; assistant supervisor
of math and science for the school system, 1986-1987; assistant
principal for instruction, Oscar Smith High, 1987-1990; principal of
Crestwood Middle, 1990 to present
Residence: Hickory
Family: Husband, Lyman, and two daughters, 24-year-old Johnna and
17-year-old Amy
Staff photos, including cover, by MORT FRYMAN
Linda J. Byrd, principal of Crestwood Middle School since 1990,
reads a note a student gave her to Lin Gallo, a seventh-grade social
studies teacher at the school Byrd is leaving.
Hickory will be the city's sixth high school, and the first new one
(as opposed to a replacement building for an existing school) to
open in 25 years. Byrd takes over the Hickory reins Thursday.
Harry B. Blevins, a retired Chesapeake principal, led the efforts to
plan for Hickory's opening. He supports the choice of his
replacement.
by CNB