WADESBORO- Fredrick A. Davis, principal of Wadesboro Primary School and Mayor Pro Tem of Wadesboro, has been involved in Anson County Schools for 30 years.

“I started off as an Attendance Counselor,” said Davis. “I was checking, making sure kids were in school. Basically, I was a truancy officer,” he added.

It was announced from Raleigh on Dec 20, 2019 that Davis has been appointed by Governor Cooper to the North Carolina State Youth Advisory Council. Davis is joined on the Youth Council by Victoria Garret who is the Recreation Center Assistant Supervisor for High Point’s Parks and Recreation Department.

The Youth Advisory Council has a variety of functions including advising the youth councils of North Carolina, encouraging participation in governmental and civic affairs by state and local councils, receiving gifts and grants and to recommending expenditure of them on behalf of the Department of Administration, establishing procedures for the election of representatives by the State Youth Councils, and advising the Secretary of Administration. They are made up of 20 members total, 10 youth members and 10 adults.

Davis was originally appointed to a position on the South Piedmont Board of Trustees but was unable to fill that task due to his wife’s battle with cancer. “That was a top priority,” said Davis. Davis added, “I got a call from the Governor’s office. They understood my situation and asked if I would be open to another committee. I said ‘yes’,” and that’s how he ended up on the Youth Council.

“I’ve always seen myself as a football coach,” said Davis. Davis began working for Anson County Schools as an Attendance Counselor, but it wasn’t long before he began coaching football. “I loved coaching. Still love it, but in a different aspect now.” He would start off as an Assistant Football Coach at Anson High School before becoming the Head Coach.

“I was Head Football Coach for ten years. Then I became the Athletic Director for 13 years. From there, I became Assistant Principal at the High School. In 2015 I was transferred to Wadesboro Primary as an Assistant Principal. I later became their principal,” said Davis. “I had some friends who went into administration and I said ‘well, let me try this.’”

It was Davis’s experience as a football coach has formed much of his administrative strategies as principal. “It’s the same concept,” said Davis. “You have to have a plan. You have to have great support, great people around you to make it work.”

A typical day for Davis entails, “Making sure the kids are prepared to learn.” Davis adds, “We have an unique staff, a unique good team there to make sure that learning takes place and that we educate the whole child. It’s a fun, fulfilled day everyday.”

In his 30 years of working with Anson County Schools, Davis has seen plenty of changes. “We went from very low accountability to high accountability through state testing,” said Davis. “That’s very stressful for students, parents, everybody. One single thing can affect your grade with high stakes testing,” he added. Davis goes on to say, “Education has changed, but I think it’s changed for the better. We have to compete world-wide and our students need to have the resources to compete globally.”

Davis believes his experience in “Just taking care of the youth every day, from to being a principal to coaching. And making sure our youth have a fair and equitable chance to succeed,” has prepared him for his duties on the Youth Council.

“I have to get sworn in and then we’ll go from there. I have been contacted by email to look at some things but this is new territory for me so it’s a learning experience as we go,” said Davis on the Youth Council’s plan for the upcoming year. As for Wadesboro Primary, “Well, our plan is continued to love our children and grow our children to be productive citizens. And to always be there for them. We are about educating the total child and family.”

“Educating the total child” is a phrase Davis uses often. To him, “It means going on beyond the school yards. It means making sure that they have what they need to be successful, from mental to physical. And if we can help the family situation with the resources we have, we will do it.”

Luckily, Davis has some help in this endeavor, “We have a full team at Wadesboro Primary, from the social worker to the nurse, to the guidance counselor. We’re all hands on deck and we have a great central office that supports our efforts there.”

Fredrick A. Davis is the principal of Wadesboro Primary School and Mayor Pro Tem of Wadesboro.
https://ansonrecord.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/web1_Davis1-2.jpgFredrick A. Davis is the principal of Wadesboro Primary School and Mayor Pro Tem of Wadesboro.

By Charles Wood

Staff writer

Reach Charles Wood at cwood@ansonrecord.com or at 704-994-5471