A self-described educational entrepreneur, William King is laser-focused on student success. In his 12 years as an educator, King has held positions from instructional assistant to social studies teacher, curriculum coordinator, literacy coach and now freshman principal at Bowling Green High School (BGHS). Step onto the campus at any hour and it’s hard to miss his passion for the profession. A 1996 graduate of BGHS and an Eagle Scout, King was driven at a young age to achieve high goals.
As freshman principal, he oversees 9th grade studies, closely monitoring both teacher and student success. A data-driven evaluator, King collects information and shares it with fellow freshman teachers so that they can adapt their teaching practices. To ease the transition from 8th to 9th grade, he founded the high school’s Jump Start Program, where in addition to working with freshman teachers, he collaborates with middle school teachers and parents to help ensure that students are academically prepared for their first year of high school. With this approach, King reduced 9th grade retentions by 68%. King also encourages gifted students to take advantage of Advanced Placement classes and other educational opportunities.
Over the years, King has worked to create a national day for school administrators known as No Office Day to focus on taking school administrators out of the office and back into classroom. It’s not surprising he would spearhead such an idea given his own visibility in the hallways, cafeteria, parking lot – any place on campus where he can interact with the students.
King’s dedication to developing new educators is boundless. He regularly speaks at Western Kentucky University to give teachers a realistic view of what they’ll find at school. He is the co-organizer of TeachMeet Nashville, TeachMeet Kentucky, and is currently working to start TeachMeets in other states. These are informal meetings for teachers to share best practices, innovations and personal insights on teaching using technology. His other credentials include being a Microsoft Innovative Educator and an Edmodo Certified Trainer.
Since 2007, King has given more than 30 presentations ranging from improving teacher retention and designing a high school literacy program to Twitter for high school administrators. His interest in combining technology with teaching led him to implement the Bring Your Own Device program at BGHS where students can use wireless devices, such as smart phones, tablets and notebooks in class. An innovator with vision and purpose, William King is leading BGHS students and faculty, parents and community into the future.
