Newspaper Page Text
EDUCATION
Dr. Lucien Harris
By Mary Clay Allen
Dr. Lucien Harris, newly appointed
Associate Superintendent of Clarke
County Schools looked as he had just ex
ited from Esquire Magazine, when I in
terviewed him for this article. Im
maculately dressed and openly friendly,
he invited me to sit down and to feel
comfortable in his modestly furnished
office. A picture of his lovely wife and
children adorns a table that faces Dr.
Harris’ desk.
Dr. Harris finished Tuskegee Univer
sity, Tuskegee, Alabama in 1969, with a
BS Degree in Biology. After teaching two
years, he went back to Tuskegee and
received a Master Degree in School Ad
ministration. He spent the next 3 Vi years
teaching in Auburn, Alabama and 1 year
in Tuskegee.
In 1973, Dr. Harris accepted a posi
tion as assistant principal of Marietta
Junior High School in Marietta,
Georgia. During the seven years that he
spent at Marietta Jr. High, he went to
school at West Georgia College and got
a Specialist Degree in School Administra
tion and Educational Leadership.
Dr. Harris was promoted to principal
of an elementary school and then to prin
cipal of Marietta Junior High School
where he had earlier served as assistant
principal.
In 1987, Dr. Harris received the Ph.D.
Degree in School Administration from
Vanderbilt 1989, and was appointed
Assistant Superintendent of Rome, Ga.
Public School System.
Dr. Harris’ responsibilities were many;
the directors of food, social, student,
public relations, maintenance & opera
tions and transporation service were all
accountable to Dr. Harris. He also had
State Standards to supervise and coor
dinate for the school district and all state
and federal reports were made from his
office. He served as board member of
numerous organizations including the
United Way, Chamber of Commerce,
American Red Cross, Child Abuse
Council, Boys and Girls Club and the
Open Door Home, a place where abus
ed children are taken until a safer home
ZEBRA VOL. 1 ISSUE 5
has been found. Dr. Harris was also an
active member of the Oak Hill Church
of Christ.
The Clarke County Board of Educa
tion advertised the position of Associate
Superintendent of Schools late last year
and Dr. Harris applied for and was
selected from a list of applicants. He
reported to work on July 1st.
Dr. Harris said his first few months
will be spent visiting the elementary, mid
dle and high schools. He wants to get to
know the principals and personnel in the
district. In his role of Associate
Superintendent, Dr. Harris serves as
Chief Operational Officer in charge of
administering to the system and making
decisions on behalf of the system on a
daily basis. Questions and problems that
arise in the schools are referred to him.
Dr. Harris will supervise the Board of
Education’s Policy Committee, and
work closely with Dr. Ballentine and the
Board in initiating and designing policies
for the district. Titles 9 and 6, Average
Daily Attendance (ADA) and Handicap
504 are also programs under his division.
One problem that Dr. Harris will focus
on is school attendance. Last year over
1400 students accumulated more than the
20 absentee days in the Clarke County
School District. Dr. Harris wants to put
a plan in place whereby those students
will know that the District expects them
to be in school and that they need to be
in school. He thinks that parents,
schools, and the whole community must
work together to make this attendance
policy work. Something will be said on
the intercom every day, at each school
about the importance of regular
attendance.
Dr. Harris said one big goal of the
Board of Educaiton is to help each stu
dent meet his full potential, whether at
a vocational school or a four-year institu
tion, and to be successful in his/her
chosen career.
Dr. Harris stresses maintain
ing, discipline in the schools because lit
tle learning takes place when discipline
is lacking. He will work with principals
and teachers to make sure that
classrooms are free of disruptive
students.
Dr. & Mrs. Harris are the proud
parents of three children, a daughter 21,
and sons 18 and 14 years of age. Already
Dr. Harris has moved into the
mainstream of Clarke County con
tributing citizens. Zebra welcomes Dr.
Harris and his family to the Athens com
munity and wishes him success in his new
position.
9
