Jeremy Ledford

Serving eight years as principal at Knox County Middle School (and only the second principal since the school was established), Jeremy Ledford has a lot to look back on and lots to look forward to.

While some students may think a principal walks halls and drinks coffee (both of which are true), Mr. Ledford explains there is a lot more to the role than leading teachers meetings, processing paperwork, and being present for visitors.

Everyone believes the role of the principal is to be the educational leader of the school, to discipline kids, and to solve the day-to-day issues in the school. That is true to some extent but the most enjoyable part of being a principal is when you get to help kids. Not every kid has an advocate for them and their education. Our purpose is to be that advocate for those who don’t and for those who need guidance. Seeing kids grow and succeed in life is what being a principal is all about. Making mistakes isn’t a death sentence but a learning experience. We all make mistakes and learning from them is how we become who we are in life.

The importance of being there for students and the mindset of continuous learning is one that Mr. Ledford has developed over his career. Prior to becoming principal, he began his career at Girdler Elementary teaching 6th-8th grade Social Studies for Principal Chuck Hill. After Girdler he moved to Knox County Middle School in 2006 when it opened and became an 8th grade Social Studies teacher for the Team 8th Grade Panther Knights.

In the past eight years as principal, he has had many great moments celebrating victories and achievements of the Panthers. The most memorable moment for me as principal and I believe for our staff is when our school became a School of Distinction in 2016 and in 2019 KCMS became a Top 10% performing middle school in the state. I am very proud of our community, students, and staff for the hard work they put in to make Knox County Middle School successful.

What is next for Mr. Ledford? The professional goal that he has for himself is to become a superintendent.

Following that growth and professional mindset, Mr. Ledford has words of wisdom to share with his teachers. The best advice that I could give to any colleague that is looking to advance in an administrative role is to conduct yourself in the classroom with the same goals and expectations that you would have of your staff if you were principal. What you ask of kids should be the same expectation that you ask of your staff. I appreciate our staff always working hard to mirror the student’s standards and doing our best not to ever set a double standard. Having clear expectations has been a key component in making KCMS a Top 10% performing middle school in the state.

There is also advice that he would give his students if they are interested in becoming a teacher. If you are interested in the education field there is nothing more rewarding than teaching. That is the one thing I miss the most with being a principal. Awesome kids that loved to play Jeopardy and win Taffy for first place in class was the most fun in teaching. The mint candy for second place was never good enough for my students. That expectation of excellence and the feeling you get when students want to succeed not only in your class but also in life makes teaching a great profession.

Mr. Ledford shared about three educators that come to mind that helped him most in starting his career as a social studies teacher.

Gerald Stacy, Donna Martin, and Chuck Hill. I did my student teaching with Gerald and Donna at G.R. Hampton. They influenced me the most about what a classroom should look like with high expectations and discipline. There isn’t a time in my career that when I have called them for advice that they haven’t been willing to help me. I definitely called them a lot when I began my career. Mr. Hill was my first principal at Girdler Elementary and he always had the time to talk with me about strategies and how to improve as a teacher. I am forever grateful for these teachers and the administration for taking a chance on me and molding me to be the person I am today in my personal life and in education.

What does Mr. Ledford enjoy doing when not at school? Some things about me that people may not know is that I love to coach basketball. I have been blessed to coach some great teams from 3rd grade up to 8th grade. I won a 7th Grade State Championship with some great players and assistant coaches in Steve Warren and Steve Abner. I also won a 6th grade Region Championship with Lay Elementary along with numerous elementary county league championships with the help of my assistant coach Chad Imel. My other hobbies include hunting, fishing, and camping with my family when I am not at work.

Before ending his profile, Mr. Ledford wanted to share a special thanks to those that have made an impact in his life. I also want to thank my former assistant principal Mrs. Linda Fortney and my current assistant principal Mrs. Sheila Terrell for being the best support I could have at Knox Middle along with my office staff. Most of all I want to thank our Lord and savior for his mercy and grace in my life and my wife for always supporting me in reaching my goals.