The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
   

Bailey retiring: ‘The stars have aligned for me’

Morrilton principal reflects on 45 years in education, 12 at Sacred Heart

Published: November 9, 2014   

By Aprille Hanson
Little Rock Correspondent

Brian Bailey, principal of Sacred Heart School in Morrilton, speaks during the 2013 dedication of Rebel Plaza with more than 400 engraved pavers.

When Sacred Heart School principal Brian Bailey was 15, he recognized his calling in life.

“We had a Boys Club in Clarksville where I grew up. I hung out there from 8 in the morning until 4 p.m. all my (young) life” and when he turned 15, they asked him to direct activities in the club such as Pee Wee sports.

“It scared me at first, but it was one of those things that was natural. I’ve had opportunities to do other things in my life, but the draw to go back and work and help kids grow up, I think that’s God’s mission for me. I’m just going to do what he wants me to do,” he said.

After 45 years in education and 12 years as principal at Sacred Heart in Morrilton, Bailey, 66, announced he is retiring at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

“In my opinion, Sacred Heart would not be where it is today without the leadership of Brian Bailey,” said school board president Norbert Gunderman in a statement. “Brian can be found doing everything from cleaning and fixing things around campus, to spending one-on-one time with students who need a little extra help. There aren’t many evenings or weekends where he cannot be found on campus doing the extra things that need to be done to ensure our kids have a top-notch facility for learning. I am going to miss him but I think the kids are going to miss him even more.”

While Bailey said it’s been a “beautiful” experience to work with the children, staff and parents at Sacred Heart, “it’s time for new blood.”

“This is my second retirement,” Bailey said.

Two days after he retired from public schools in 2002 Bailey was having a conversation with his pastor about taking over as principal. “Forty-eight hours later I was back in the school business.”

After overcoming prostate cancer and leaving a job as an assistant superintendent in the public schools that was unfulfilling, “this place revitalized me. … My passion has been young people for as long as I can remember.”

Bailey, a married father of two with three grandchildren, was not only personally revitalized, but brought new life and vigor into the school.

During his tenure, he helped create a strategic plan leading to school improvements that included physical expansions, financial stability and hiring a director of development to map out fundraising efforts.

Since implementing a fundraising plan, the Sacred Heart School Endowment grew from about $400,000 to more than $1 million, Bailey said. Between the pre-school and K-12, the school has 283 students enrolled this year. It’s largely because of Bailey’s efforts in recruiting, which included creating the pre-school program in 2012 and setting a high bar for academic excellence, which led to students scoring above both the state and national averages with the ACT (The 2014 class averaged 25, while the state average was 20.4 and national was 21.0).

“I wanted them to understand where we were going to set the bar. More deeply than that, that we weren’t going to move it,” Bailey said. “They understand work. We aren’t smarter than anyone else’s kids, but our kids know how to work.”

In 2009, Colton Kordsmeier became the school’s first National Merit Scholar.

“I think that’s the stamp of approval you want on your program. There wasn’t one since (the school) started in 1879,” Bailey said.

The school has also given students the tools to succeed in the classroom and with extracurricular activities under Bailey’s leadership from implementing smart technology in classrooms, jumpstarting a theater program and athletic achievements that have included state and conference championships.

As a former coach, it was one of Bailey’s goals to see a SHS team get a state championship. During his tenure, the various teams excelled.

• The boys basketball team set school records, went to state six times and won four conference and district championships.

• The baseball team competed at the state level 12 consecutive years.

• The girls basketball team, the Lady Rebels, won state championships in 2006 and 2007.

As an added bonus, there was a state championship of a different sort — the Sacred Heart Quiz Bowl team won in 2010.

“I’ve had an amazing run of kids,” Bailey said. “The kids understood the expectations and the discipline is there.”

Bailey is quick to say it’s not his doing, but a team effort.

“That’s not one person, that’s everyone. It’s God inspired,” Bailey said. “My tenure has been wonderful because the stars have aligned for me and I don’t know why. It’s a blessing to me.”

And his team players are a mixture of students, faculty and parents.

“I tell you when I met with my faculty right after I took the job, I knew this is the most committed group of people I’ve ever seen in my life,” Bailey said. “They are totally committed to the school and the kids who go there … We have 500-something years’ experience out of the 20-something teachers. They’re the heart and soul of all that.”

For Bailey, it’s been a joy watching students grow in their faith and education. The kindergarten class when Bailey started at the school in 2002 is now the graduating class.

“I’ve watched kids grow academically and socially, but the faith experience I was looking for was totally fulfilled by my students and parents … In my career I’ve taught my children and all of my grandchildren. Two are military brats, they’re going to stay with us all year, that’s really, really special,” Bailey said. “It’s just another God moment … I’m stronger spiritually.”

But with all that said, Bailey still isn’t completely satisfied with his contributions.

“I didn’t start a choral music program. It was one of my three goals: get a state championship in something and have a National Merit Scholar. I’ve got two out of three. I’m a loser, I got to go,” Bailey laughed.

While his wife is still going to work for about three more years, the couple is looking forward to the future.

“We want to travel. We have a home we built in 2007. I’m an old football coach so until I have three acres of Bermuda grass that suits me, I’m going to be piddling around with that,” Bailey said, adding he’ll still go to school functions and volunteer, but he’ll be out of the spotlight.

“I’m going to try to stay away from the building for a while just to be fair to everyone,” Bailey said. “I just want to be a warrior, not a chief.”

While Bailey said he’s most afraid of waking up each morning not being able to directly work with children, it’s memories from his time at Sacred Heart that will carry on.

“My birthday is in August, I had been at Sacred Heart for 21 days. They said I was needed in the gym as soon as I could get there. All the kids were in SHS shirts, singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ with a signed card and they danced the polka for me. I still have the framed card,” Bailey said. “There’s been multiple moments both good and bad since, but that meant more to me than anything.”

Bailey said he doesn’t have a plan for retirement, adding that “if it doesn’t work, I’ll try something else.” 

“I’m afraid I’m going to turn into an adult when I leave school,” Bailey said. “Right now, I’ve been able to be Peter Pan for the past 45 years.” 

Please read our Comments Policy before posting.

Article comments powered by Disqus