This award is given to superintendents for outstanding leadership in their school systems and communities. Dr. Derico was nominated for the award by Dr. Stephanie Gordy, Executive Director of Griffin RESA. Dr. Derico has targeted three major goals in addition to student achievement and student success including school safety, literacy, and building positive relationships. He has realized significant accomplishments while pursuing these goals.
Other Noteworthy Accomplishments include:
Other Noteworthy Accomplishments include:
School Safety: During Dr. Derico’s tenure, the Thomaston-Upson School System has expanded their partnership with the Upson County Sheriff’s Office and the Upson County Commissioners to increase the number of School Resource Officers. Closed corridors were constructed to replace open-air breezeways between school buildings. Schools received new HD security cameras, state-of-the-art emergency notification systems, new classroom door locks, and electronic access control for all outer doors at the schools and the district office. Dr. Derico also solicited the help of the police chief, sheriff, fire chief and director of Upson Emergency Management in creating a video about community responsibility in ensuring school safety.
Literacy: For Thomaston and Upson County, literacy is a community-wide challenge. Dr. Derico realized that he had to think outside the box to ensure that students had the support necessary to read commensurate with grade-level expectations. To help address this goal, Dr. Derico reached out to officials at Southern Crescent Technical College. Together, they created a mutually beneficial partnership that offers adult education classes to parents of Thomaston-Upson students during the school day on the campus of the Upson-Lee Learning Academy. In addition, the district invested in Wilson Reading Program professional training for every K-2 teacher and for select teachers in all other grades, along with increased professional learning for the district’s reading curriculum. By the end of the 2018-19 school year, ELA Milestones scores were beginning to show gains in third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, with fifth graders showing the greatest increases from 48.35 in 2018 to 57 in 2019. (Due to the pandemic, testing did not occur in 2020.)
Building Positive Relationships: Building positive relationships is a major component in Dr. Derico’s quest for excellence. His message to Thomaston-Upson faculty and staff at his very first back-to-school breakfast was this: “Success is important; but what’s more important is that you have built relationships, created lifelong bonds, blessed lives, and helped to make the world a better place.” On that first day of pre-planning, Dr. Derico challenged each Thomaston-Upson employee to build relationships and grow stronger bonds among colleagues, schools, students, families, and the community. He has continually modeled positive relationship building for the school district throughout his tenure at Thomaston-Upson Schools. He is frequently seen in the hallways and in the classrooms throughout the school district. He attends sporting events, fine arts events, and honors events. He serves as a VIP reader in the primary school. He and his family are active in the community. He knows the teachers, staff, students, their families, and community members, and they know him. His service is actively sought for community boards and committees.
John Zauner, the GSSA Executive Director had this to say: “Dr. Larry Derico is well deserving of the award noting that his leadership is very evident with the progress Thomaston-Upson School District is making. Emphasizing school safety, literacy, and his ability to build positive relationships has rocketed Dr. Derico to be highly respected by his peers and local community. He has started some very positive momentum for the greater Thomaston-Upson area.” Dr. Stephanie Gordy, Executive Director of Griffin RESA stated: “I am fortunate to have the honor and privilege of working with this exemplary school superintendent. Our entire region benefits from his exceptional leadership skills.
Literacy: For Thomaston and Upson County, literacy is a community-wide challenge. Dr. Derico realized that he had to think outside the box to ensure that students had the support necessary to read commensurate with grade-level expectations. To help address this goal, Dr. Derico reached out to officials at Southern Crescent Technical College. Together, they created a mutually beneficial partnership that offers adult education classes to parents of Thomaston-Upson students during the school day on the campus of the Upson-Lee Learning Academy. In addition, the district invested in Wilson Reading Program professional training for every K-2 teacher and for select teachers in all other grades, along with increased professional learning for the district’s reading curriculum. By the end of the 2018-19 school year, ELA Milestones scores were beginning to show gains in third, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, with fifth graders showing the greatest increases from 48.35 in 2018 to 57 in 2019. (Due to the pandemic, testing did not occur in 2020.)
Building Positive Relationships: Building positive relationships is a major component in Dr. Derico’s quest for excellence. His message to Thomaston-Upson faculty and staff at his very first back-to-school breakfast was this: “Success is important; but what’s more important is that you have built relationships, created lifelong bonds, blessed lives, and helped to make the world a better place.” On that first day of pre-planning, Dr. Derico challenged each Thomaston-Upson employee to build relationships and grow stronger bonds among colleagues, schools, students, families, and the community. He has continually modeled positive relationship building for the school district throughout his tenure at Thomaston-Upson Schools. He is frequently seen in the hallways and in the classrooms throughout the school district. He attends sporting events, fine arts events, and honors events. He serves as a VIP reader in the primary school. He and his family are active in the community. He knows the teachers, staff, students, their families, and community members, and they know him. His service is actively sought for community boards and committees.
John Zauner, the GSSA Executive Director had this to say: “Dr. Larry Derico is well deserving of the award noting that his leadership is very evident with the progress Thomaston-Upson School District is making. Emphasizing school safety, literacy, and his ability to build positive relationships has rocketed Dr. Derico to be highly respected by his peers and local community. He has started some very positive momentum for the greater Thomaston-Upson area.” Dr. Stephanie Gordy, Executive Director of Griffin RESA stated: “I am fortunate to have the honor and privilege of working with this exemplary school superintendent. Our entire region benefits from his exceptional leadership skills.
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