Early in my career, I had the privilege of working for a man named Dwight Manzy. He was my principal during my first job as an assistant principal, and I can say without hesitation that he had an enormous influence on my life and the way I approach education.

Mr. Manzy was a former radio disc jockey, and if you knew him, you could tell. He had a way with words. He could take something complicated and turn it into a simple saying that would stick with you for years. Every morning on the announcements, he would remind students, "When you miss school, you miss out." Another one of my favorites was, "Manners get you places money won't."

Simple words, but there's a lot of wisdom in both. Show up. Be present. Treat people well. Those lessons will take you a long way in life.

Mr. Manzy has since passed away, but I still find myself thinking about the things he taught me. And of all the lessons I learned from him, one stands above the rest: "A child will learn much more for you than from you."

I've repeated those words to countless teachers over the years, especially those just beginning their careers. Mr. Manzy understood something fundamental to education: the relationship between a teacher and a student can make everything else we do more effective.

When students know someone cares about them, they're more willing to try, make mistakes, accept correction, and push themselves beyond what they thought they could accomplish. You've probably heard the saying, "Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Mr. Manzy lived that philosophy.

Another educator who captured this idea beautifully was Rita Pierson. In her famous TED Talk, she declared, "Every child deserves a champion." I show that talk to our teachers almost every year because I believe so strongly in its message. Every child needs someone at school who believes in them. Someone who sees more than a test score, a behavior issue, or a bad day. Someone who doesn't give up on them.

Years later, when I became a principal at another school, I found myself borrowing a little of Mr. Manzy's approach. I wanted students to walk into school every morning and see a reminder that their choices mattered. So I had these words painted above the entrance to that school: "Do what you have to do today, so you can do what you want to do tomorrow."

Like Mr. Manzy's sayings, I hoped those words would stay with students long after they left our hallways.

Now, many years later, I have the privilege of serving at Lake Oconee Academy. We talk a great deal about academic achievement, and we should. Our students and teachers accomplish some remarkable things. But one of the things that makes me most proud of LOA isn't something you'll find on a test score report or a school ranking. It's the relationships I see between our students and the adults who serve them.

I see teachers who know their students well beyond their grades. I see staff members who take time to encourage a child who's having a difficult day. I see coaches, counselors, and administrators who understand that sometimes the most important thing we can do for a student has nothing to do with the lesson being taught that day.

That's the kind of culture we want at LOA, and it's something I hope every family experiences when they entrust their child to us.

I wish I could sit down with Mr. Manzy one more time and tell him how often his words still come to mind. I wonder if he ever realized how many people he influenced through those simple conversations and sayings.

Maybe that's another lesson worth remembering. We don't always know which words or moments will stay with someone for the rest of their life. I know his stayed with me.

And I hope that years from now, when our students look back on their time at LOA, they remember more than what they learned in a classroom. I hope they remember someone who believed in them, challenged them, encouraged them, and cared enough to help them succeed.

Mr. Manzy was that person for me. And if we can be that person for the children entrusted to us, I can't think of a better measure of our success.

Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve your children. It is an extraordinary responsibility, and one we do not take lightly.

Dr. B