Former Model High principal to retire at end of the month
Most will remember him from his time as Model High School’s principal, a position he held for 20 years impacting the lives of generations of students before accepting a role in the Floyd County Schools main office.
Glenn White, director of student services, has announced his retirement which will go into effect at the end of the month. White cited he has built up 35 years with the Teacher Retirement System, and it was time to retire.
“I should have retired years ago,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful ride.”
White first began teaching at Armuchee High School in 1982 as an itinerant teacher when the building was brand new he said. He earned his bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Shorter College prior to teaching at FCS.
After he left FCS he joined the army where he served for seven months before being honorably discharged. He then worked as a teacher in Newnan before becoming an assistant principal at a different school in the system. While he worked in Newnan he attended the University of West Georgia where he received his master’s degree in special education and a specialist in education.
He returned to Floyd County to become the assistant principal at Model High School, a position he had for four years, and earned his doctorate of education administration from the University of Alabama. He was then promoted to principal of Model High School where he stayed for 20 years. During his time there he oversaw the construction of the new Model high campus, received the Governor’s Cup in 2008 for improved SAT scores and boasted an 89 percent graduation rate in 2015.
White said when he goes to a Model High School football game now he sees past students who now have kids or grandkids.
“It is not an experience you can get in any other profession,” he said.
In 2015 White stepped away from his role as principal at Model High School and accepted a position in the main office of FCS, where he provides guidance to FCS administrators. He oversees maintenance of athletic facilities and provides insight on school safety issues.
White said his time as an educator has gone by in a flash and it has been a wonderful experience. He said the greatest part of it all was being involved in the lives of his students.