ROCKINGHAM — Success for Rockingham Middle School Assistant Principal Kevin Wallace has always been about teamwork — both on the field and in the classroom.

The fourth-year administrator has a history in both education and athletics, so it’s no mystery how both professions have helped him along the way.

A 2000 Richmond Senior High School graduate, Wallace attended Fayetteville’s Methodist University, where he had the opportunity to cultivate his baseball career, but the big city atmosphere wasn’t for Wallace.

“I came back home because it’s where I wanted to be,” he said. “I wanted to eventually raise a family in my small town where I knew everybody.”

He began his Richmond County Schools career teaching science and social studies at Hamlet Junior High School for a year before becoming the school’s physical education teacher. While earning his masters degree from Capella University, Wallace also spent four years at the Ninth-Grade Academy and helped coach the Richmond Senior High School baseball team.

“Originally, I was drawn to education because I wanted to coach,” explained Wallace. “Eventually (it) got to the point where I wanted to take my career a step further, so I went and got my masters. I thought I’d use it down the road, but as soon as I finished, I applied for a job and got lucky I guess.”

Wallace said his transformation from a Richmond County Schools student to teacher and ultimately to assistant principal hasn’t always been easy.

“As a matter of fact, when Dr. Norris hired me as the assistant principal he asked me, ‘How are you going to go from little Kevin who’s played ball and been a teacher to Mr. Wallace who’s an assistant principal that needs respect from everybody?’ And, I told him I’m growing up, and it’s time to make a change.”

Now an administrative veteran, Wallace has a great demeanor with his Rockingham Middle School staff and is able to quickly connect with teachers. He cited working with staff members and all their different personality types as the best part of his job.

“As a teacher you were separated into you subject, but as an assistant principal you have the opportunity to work with everybody,” said Wallace. “They make it awesome to come to work every day.”

And, it looks like Wallace’s fellow staff members are taking notice, nominating him to be Richmond County Schools’ 2015 Assistant Principal of the Year. He was named during the district’s opening convocation in August.

Upon hearing his name called, Wallace says he was “absolutely floored.”

“It’s always one of those things that you have in the back of your mind,” he said. “You think, ‘Yeah, I’d like to win in it,’ but you don’t ever think you have a chance.”

But Wallace said he doesn’t do the job hoping for recognition. At the end of the day, he says it’s all about the students.

“Even the bad ones, they may do something disruptive in class, but then they’ll come to the office and do something just to make your day,” he said. “You definitely don’t get bored with middle-schoolers.”

When he’s not cheering on the Rockingham Middle School Rockets, Wallace loves spending time with his family. His wife, Wendy, is an assistant principal at Richmond Senior High School, and the couple’s daughter, Matti, is a kindergartner at L.J. Bell Elementary School.

This story was contributed to the Daily Journal by Richmond County Schools public information officer Ashley-Michelle Thublin for National Principals Month. To learn more, visit www.principalsmonth.org.

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By Ashley-Michelle Thublin

For the Daily Journal