Buckingham County High School’s (BCHS) athletic director and assistant principal has been tapped to serve as the new principal at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg.

Dr. Jeffrey Garrett was named to his new post Tuesday, according to school officials.

“He’ll be missed as he brought a structure and evaluation process for coaches and was able to also field some new teams,” Buckingham’s Division Superintendent Dr. Cecil Snead said. “I believe we have been able to build our athletic program in the years he has been here.”

Garrett said his positive and affirming experience at BCHS has made it difficult to leave.

“It has been a great experience working as the assistant principal and director of athletics at Buckingham County High School,” Garrett said in an email. “The people in Buckingham have been like family, which makes leaving tough.”

Garrett said he is excited for the new position.

Schools open in Lynchburg Aug. 14, according to the division’s website. 

“This new opportunity will present challenges and opportunities for growth, and I know that Buckingham has played a vital role in preparing me for it,” Garrett said. “I am very honored for being named principal at E.C. Glass High School with Lynchburg City Schools.”

Garrett said to ease the transition, he will spend time at both BCHS and E.C. Glass High School in the coming weeks.

“I will be spending time at both schools to make it a good transition for both,” Garrett said. “My goal is to make it as seamless as possible.”

Snead said Garrett served a dual role in the school as athletic director and assistant principal when he began in 2014.

As athletic director, Snead said Garrett built the athletics department by reinstalling sports programs at Buckingham County Middle School and establishing a girls soccer team at the high school. Garrett did this while also taking the helm of administrative responsibilities as assistant principal, Snead said.

“That’s how we’ll remember him fondly,” Snead said.

Snead said the position serves as a great opportunity for Garrett and his family and wished him the best in the venture.

“He has a wonderful opportunity to become head principal at E.C. Glass; it is definitely a positive move for him and his family that I think will serve him well,” Snead said. “I think the things he was able to learn here in Buckingham will serve him well in Lynchburg.”

Snead said plans to discuss the vacant positions of assistant principal and athletic director are set for the upcoming school board meeting.

According to the news release published Tuesday by the Lynchburg City School Division, Garrett was chosen as principal due to his more than 20 years of work in establishing and encouraging academic and personal growth for students that promoted their unique means of learning and broke preconceived molds for education.

“His areas of focus in his career as a high school administrator have included communicating and promoting student learning through differentiated instruction,” the release cited.

According to the release, Garrett worked in schools in Charlotte and Appomattox counties prior to his positions at BCHS.

Garrett has a doctorate in educational leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University as well as advanced degrees in administration and supervision and curriculum and instruction from the University of Virginia, according to the release.

Garrett received his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Longwood College, the release cited.