Huckaby: Dr. Philip Brown is ready to lead as Jackson County Public School Superintendent

I was having a back porch conversation with my favorite confabulator, my grandson, Sir Henley, who will soon be promoted to the second grade. I shared with him the bittersweet news that Dr. Philip Brown will soon be leaving North Oconee High School, where Henley’s Uncle Jackson teaches, to become the Superintendent of the Jackson County Public School System.

It was a pretty deep conversation to have with a seven-year-old, but Henley has an old soul and is wise beyond his years.

He responded, “Papa, I know what a principal is. What is a superintendent?”

I explained to him that Dr. Brown would be the “big boss” and oversee all the schools in Jackson County. His response. “Has he ever been in charge of all the schools before?”

“I don’t think so,” I responded.

“Then how does he know he can do it?” Henley wanted to know.

It was a fair question. But I have known Philip Brown for more than a decade and I am betting on him.

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Dr. Brown hails from Valdosta, Georgia. Winnersville. And he is a true winner - and enjoys winning as much as anyone I know. He wants to win at everything. Academics. Athletics. Fine Arts. You name it. I understand. So, do I. Enjoy winning, I mean.

A man who came from humble beginnings, as did I, he earned a bachelor’s degree at Valdosta State University. And then a Master’s degree from Valdosta State. And then a specialist degree. Obviously, an overachiever, Philip Brown earned his doctorate from the University of Georgia, hallowed be thy name.

Did I mention that he is only 41? That’s right. His life, to date, has spanned the gap between UGA national football championships.

Like so many great educators, Dr. Brown has a coaching background - basketball and baseball primarily - and worked his way through the ranks, driving yellow school busses through the South Georgia pine barrens when he taught at Echols County High School- 180 students, ninth through twelfth grade, thank you very much, and also Camden County. You can’t get more South Georgia than Camden County.

That’s good experience. I dressed in a similar phone booth, once upon a time.

Luckily for our community, Philip, along with his wife, Katherine, eventually made his way to the North Georgia Piedmont, first as a teacher at Malcom Bridge Middle School and then assistant principal and, finally, principal at Oconee Middle before being named the Head Titan at North Oconee in May 2011.

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By the way, Dr. Katherine Brown (also a Valdosta State and UGA grad - Winnersville, overachiever, etc, etc, etc . . .) is also an educator and has a new job for next year, too. She will be moving from the principalship of Oconee County Primary School to take over as principal at Colham Ferry Elementary. Go Mustangs!

I am more than a little bit familiar with the job that Philip Brown has done at North Oconee. The best word I can come up with to describe his performance is stellar. And I know a lot of words. Elite works, too. Philip Brown is an elite principal.

He loves kids, to begin with, and realizes that neither kids nor teachers nor staff will ever care how much you know until you know how much they care. He cares.

He also understands. He understands what type of environment is conducive to learning and that elite schools strike a balance among academics, athletics and extracurricular activities and provide students the opportunity to excel in all three. I know this to be the case. I’ve observed it firsthand for ten years. And I’d say all of this even if he weren’t astute enough to have made my son, Jackson, one of his first hires.

Dr. Brown has helped make North Oconee one of the very best high schools in the state and I selfishly hate to see him leave. But I am happy for him, and I am happy for Jackson County, because they are getting one of the best people in the world to lead their schools. And four great students, too. The Browns have four budding superstars of their own: Landon, Owen, Lincoln and Annabelle.

So, Henley - I don’t think Dr. Brown will have any problem being in charge of all the schools. I just wish I were a few years younger so I could apply for a job and go with him.

Congratulations, Jackson County.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Dr. Philip Brown is fit to be Jackson County schools superintendent