Nigerian Named School Chief In Georgia

ALBANY, GA. -- Merry Acres Middle School Principal, Ufor Inyang has been named the Dougherty County School System's new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Inyang, who has more than 20 years in the Dougherty Council School System (DCSS), fills the position left vacant by Merita Jones, who retired in December. Inyang said he plans to be in his new office by Feb. 11. "It will take me some time to see what's going on," Inyang said. "I plan on moving the system forward immediately. I will talk to principals to help get my feet under me, but I want to move the system forward all the way around." Albany High School Assistant Principal Scott Horton, who has spent the last 18 years at AHS, was selected to replace Inyang as principal at Merry Acres Middle. "I am ecstatic to be the new principal at Merry Acres," Horton, who has logged 25 years with the DCSS, said. "Dr. Inyang did such a great job over there that he'll be a tough act to follow. Everything is kind of on autopilot because it all runs so smoothly over there. I am looking forward to the job because it's going to be a new challenge for me." Inyang says he's also ready for a new challenge. "I am fully committed to students, parents and staff and approach this new challenge as I have in my past and that is with hard work, dedication to excellence, optimism and an abiding faith in the promise and potential that this system has to offer," said Inyang. Among the finalists in consideration for the position, Inyang was unique in his more than 20 years of service in k-12 education has been spent serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal in the Dougherty system. When appointed to lead Merry Acres, Inyang initiated an innovative, ongoing collaboration with feeder elementary schools that provided shared knowledge, skills, instructional realignment and data-driven instruction that resulted in his being recognized at the 2009 Georgia School Improvement Awards ceremony for raising standards and leading the school to high levels of student on grade level achievement. He has since implemented and coordinated the K-12 Academy of Medical Arts (AMA) program that is a partnership of k-12 schools working in concert to expose students to an accelerated health and medical career-focused curriculum. In his first year as principal at Merry Acres, Inyang and his staff brought the school from "needs improvement" status to meeting and exceeding adequate yearly progress (AYP). The school has met or exceeded standards each successive year since. He has been recognized for his work, winning the Distinguished Service Award twice, once as assistant principal and once as principal. "I am extremely pleased with the hiring of Dr. Inyang. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him" Dougherty County School Board member Darrel Ealum said. "He creates a lot of enthusiasm within the people around him and I think he will bring a new sense of urgency to the job." Inyang holds doctorate and specialist degrees in curriculum and instruction and a master's degree in middle school education. He also holds L-7 leadership certification (P-12). He completed the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (2010) and the Georgia Education Leadership Academy (2002), along with sundry Georgia education delivery, school management and leadership training programs.