Jordan Fillingham takes
reigns as CCMS principal

The Clinton County Middle School, for the third time in just the past few years, has a new leader at the helm, that being Jordan Fillingham. The new CCMS principal began his duties at the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Fillingham is one of the younger principals to be employed in the school district at the age of 36, but brings 15 years of total educational experience to the job.
A Mississippi native, the new principal also lived a short period in Jamaica, but said he called Bowling Green his home, having lived most of his teenage and younger life there.
He is a 2005 graduate of Greenwood High School in Bowling Green and holds a degree in Music Education from Western Kentucky University, which he earned in 2009.
Fillingham’s first teaching job was in neighboring Cumberland County, where he was a teacher and band director at Cumberland County High School and Middle School in Burkesville for seven years.
Fillingham moved to Clinton County in 2017, where he taught music and was band director at CCMS for four years.
He was then promoted to the position of District Curriculum Specialist in 2021, where he served for the past three years prior to taking the principal position at the middle school, which houses grades five through eight.
Fillingham said the major reason he applied for the principal’s position was because he enjoyed his work in helping teachers get the resources they need and getting their feedback, which was a major part of his previous job.
“I feel better about working to get teachers what they needed in the classroom and I wanted to continue that in this role,” he said.
Fillingham believes that being an ‘instructional leader’ is the top priority of a school principal, noting that “teachers well equipped with what they need provides the best education for students.” He also added that managing the building and students are among other day-to-day tasks that a principal has to perform.
He said he foresees no major changes in how the school has been operated over the past few years, but stressed the focus would be on student achievement and performance by working with district leadership to achieve those goals.
But it is not just academic achievement schools have to take into consideration, as he noted with the help of district leadership, they need to support a student’s social, emotional, and behavioral well-being, especially at the age of middle school students.
Fillingham, as well as most school district personnel, said the most pressing issue facing the school this year was attendance rates, which he would like to see improve.
“I would like to see a school where kids feel safe, not just physically, but emotionally…some kids shy away from things,” he said.
He said he would like to break barriers and make children feel they are supported. He noted some had trouble with reading and math, and he would like to instill confidence and encourage students that they can succeed in those areas.
Fillingham said that as new principal, he has met with a “welcoming staff” who work “hand-in-hand” together, despite some vacancies from last year and a few new teachers at the school this year.
He said that parent/guardian participation is a key factor because it takes a village to raise a child.
In noting that students may tell parents things about school they may not tell educators, he wants parents to know he will listen to their concerns to help eliminate barriers. “I am open to listen to parents and hear their ideas,” said Fillingham.
The new principal also added he was grateful for the partnership with the (Clinton County) Sheriff’s Office for supplying an SRO (School Resource Officer) at each school.
“I am pleased to have Mark Cromwell (SRO) here,” the principal said, adding the SROs from the other schools would also visit and get to know the kids at CCMS.
He said he is also grateful to have the Healthy Kids Clinic, which provides mental health services to the students, as well as other such agencies that partner with the school district.
Fillingham is married to the former Reshea Norris, a Clinton County native, and they have two children, one in the 5th grade, and one in pre-school this year.

Adam Davidson now at the helm
of the Early Childhood Center

The Clinton County Early Childhood Center is one of two of the four schools in the district to have a new principal for the 2024-25 school year, that being Adam Davidson.
Davidson is no stranger to a leadership type role, having served as Assistant Principal at Albany Elementary School for the past four years prior to being hired to fill the vacancy left by long-time principal Sheldon Harlan.
Harlan was named to another position within the school district earlier this year.
At age 45, Davidson didn’t get to where he is in education by what many would call a ‘typical’ route, but rather working in another profession and having gained most of his educational experience online.
Further, Davidson, a Clinton County native, let his strong faith guide his path, including applying for the principal’s job he now holds.
He is also an Associate Pastor at Clear Fork Baptist Church and occasionally preaches when asked at other churches.
Davidson began a career in business management, but said he was asked by (former) AES Principal Tim Armstrong several years ago to be the school custodian.
He began working on obtaining his degrees online, first in education as a substitute teacher and worked one year, in 2014, teaching in Cumberland County.
He is now finishing up work on his doctorate. He also holds a Bachelors in Teaching and Masters in Teaching Leadership and Principal degree. All told, he has about 14 years experience in the educational field.
When questioned why he decided to apply for the principal position, he noted the answer wasn’t one that would be expected, as the answer being “God told me to do it.”
Davidson said he had turned down applying for principal positions prior, but he prayed about it and he felt it, noting that he and his wife both prayed about the decision and scrolled through scriptures.
At one point, he read from Deuteronomy Chapter 1, which began “turn and take your journey,” he said.
“I think God has a plan for me here and I am already seeing it,” he said.
Davidson expects no primary changes in the way the school has operated in the past, noting the emphasis would be on instruction and caring for people. “It’s about respect. The higher the title, the more the actual ‘servant’ you really are (supposed to be),” he said.
“The basics will be to take care of the people, the kids and faculty,” he added.
Davidson did say there would be a re-structuring, or re-focus on “how we instruct…with emphasis on what students need the most.”
The new principal said he would also stress “unity” among staff and students, all on one team. “All our kids need to learn culture first and the academics will come.”
He also said the school will re-focus on reading, noting a goal was for all students to learn how to read “before the first grade.” He added the resources to make that happen are in place.
“I want to see every student be able to read before they leave this school,” he said, adding that teachers are working very hard to accomplish that.
Another important criteria to reach is higher attendance, which Davidson noted had been hampered since the 2020 pandemic. However, he thinks the district is working to improve on that front, noting that on Monday of this week, attendance at the ECC was 97 percent.
He noted the attendance goal across the district for all schools combined is 94 percent and hopes that goal can eventually be achieved.
Davidson said that thus far in the year, the staff has been very welcoming. Although he noted there had been changes, and the past principal had served for several years, he said the staff were taking the changes in stride and were on board, saying that was “very encouraging.”
In relation to the emphasis on parent/school relations, Principal Davidson said communication between the two was “paramount,” and one of the most important aspects there is.
“It has got to be teamwork…it takes a village, and it takes getting help and support from the home,” said Davidson.
The new principal welcomes support, input, concerns and suggestions from any parents and has an open door policy in that regard.
Davidson, has also started a “volunteer” morning prayer group at the school for staff who wish to participate. He said he had also led prayer and delivered short messages at other school events and thanked Superintendent Wayne Ackerman for his support and backing.
Davidson is married to the former Tanisha Patrick. The couple have three children, the youngest starting pre-school this year at ECC.