Community Hero: Nicholas Townsend innovates how Alabama educates its children
Nicholas Townsend never thought he would be in the business of educating kids — though he has spent the past 22 years doing just that.
Entering the U.S. Air Force almost immediately upon high school graduation, Townsend didn’t know where he was going when he got out — until he found himself enrolling in the early education program at Auburn University at Montgomery.
Since then, Townsend has dedicated his life to imparting the wisdom he learned in the military and from his time in Montgomery schools to children in the River Region.
He has worked in public schools across Montgomery, Butler and Elmore counties. Now, he is principal of The Calhoun School in Lowndes County where he has helped improve ACT scores, raise the graduation rate and move the high school off of Alabama’s failing schools list.
Outside of school, Townsend maintains that his purpose is to shape the next generation of leaders. He serves as a mentor to kids in Montgomery through the nonprofit Young Men on a Mission, where he also sits on the leadership board, and he volunteers with Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s GuideRight program, preparing kids for college.
For these reasons, Nicholas Townsend is the Montgomery Advertiser’s Community Hero for December, an honor sponsored by South University.
Growing up, Townsend didn’t enjoy school at all. He was well-liked by his classmates, but he didn’t necessarily find himself falling into what he considered the “popular crowd” at George Washington Carver High School.
“Kids who are not the cool kids who get picked on, get joked on, I know the difficulties that they may have,” Townsend said. “I always tell kids now that in order to be a man, you have to learn how to stand on your own two feet. Anybody can stand with a crowd and do what they're doing, but in order to do something different, it takes a special kind of person.”
That’s one of many lessons he learned from the G.W. Carver assistant principal at the time, Farrell Duncombe. Other lessons included: Don’t be late, push yourself to greatness and treat people with a tough kindness.
Townsend grew up without his biological father in his life, and Duncombe became that nurturing figure for him.
“Mr. Duncombe was very vocal, and he said what was on his mind, but you knew he loved you,” Townsend said. “I picked up on and learned from what he was doing. I think a lot of his tactics I use today. I'm hard on the kids in one aspect, but in other aspects, they know I care about them. The things that I do, I do because I love them.”
Now, in his role as principal, Townsend hopes Duncombe would be proud of him. He thinks maybe Duncombe’s impact was in the back of his mind when he chose his career path.
Eight years into his role at Calhoun, Townsend said he can clearly see the headway he’s making in the community.
Part of the improvement in learning came when Townsend implemented Yondr pouches last school year, where students keep their phones during the school day to eliminate distractions. Since then, class failure rates have been down, and he’s noticed kids interacting with one another more.
For as long as Townsend can remember, The Calhoun School has been on the Alabama State Department of Education’s failing schools list, which identifies the lowest 6% of public schools in the state based on standardized test scores. This year, Townsend and his team of teachers and administrators got Calhoun off of that list.
The school’s report card grade from the state department of education improved as well, going from 68 to 72, and the graduation rate has gone from 81% to 91%.
“We're moving in the right direction. Benchmark scores and the ACT scores have improved with the culture and climate of the building,” Townsend said. “I attribute that to the high expectations, the teachers, the way we dress and the way we communicate with the kids to keep those high expectations.”
Next year, he is looking to move the report card grade from a C to a high B and to remain off of the failing schools list. Most importantly, though, he wants to continue to prepare students to be “contributing members of society and to have successful lives themselves.”
Townsend said he’s thankful for the system the administrators and teachers at Calhoun have built in the last eight years where students feel supported and comfortable with them.
“When you walk into the school, it’s a family atmosphere. He’s very structured, and the kids love him,” Lowndes County Athletics Director and P.E. coach Nick Rankins said. “I’ve learned so much from him.”
Rankins, a former community hero himself, has worked with Townsend in Lowndes County for years. He also runs the nonprofit Young Men on A Mission, where Townsend helps mentor boys in Montgomery in his free time.
“With Nick coming from the west side of Montgomery as well, coming from Carver High School, he just gives those kids the opportunity to see somebody that looks like them succeed,” Rankins said. “That gives them the hope that they can become something great in life, too.
Townsend knows the kids at Calhoun will do great things beyond graduation, and he said it’s just his job to get them there.
About Community Heroes Montgomery
Community Heroes Montgomery, sponsored by South University, profiles one person each month.
The 12 categories the Montgomery Advertiser will focus on: educator, health, business leader, military, youth, law enforcement, fire/EMT, nonprofit/community service, religious leader, senior volunteer, entertainment (arts/music) and athletics (such as a coach).
Do you know a Community Hero?
To nominate someone for Community Heroes Montgomery, email communityheroes@gannett.com. Please specify which category you are nominating for and your contact information.
Hadley Hitson covers the rural South for the Montgomery Advertiser and Report for America. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser or donate to Report for America.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Calhoun School Principal Nicholas Townsend named Community Hero
