By Marla Jones,Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

Pictured (L to R): Carol Hiett, Robert Elliot, Mark Richards, Monty Darwin, Dr. Eric Mackey, Dr. Jason Barnett and Randy Peppers.

RAINSVILLE, Ala. — On Thursday, the DeKalb County Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Jason Barnett welcomed Dr. Eric Mackey, the Alabama State Superintendent. 

Mackey, a Sand Rock High School graduate, stopped in DeKalb County during a series of visits to local school systems across Alabama. He was welcomed during a banquet at Rainsville’s Tom Bevill Center. The meal was served by the Geraldine High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) club members. 

DeKalb County is one of the first school systems to welcome Mackey since he took office as State Superintendent last May. 

“Our rural schools are the heart and soul of Alabama,” said Mackey. “They don’t get all the attention, and the truth is, we’ve got seven large school systems that have more than 20,000 students each, and they get the vast majority of all the media coverage.”

“The truth is if you look at the performance of our students in school and what out students go on and do after school, our greatest success rates are in our small town and rural communities, where people believe in their schools and people still go to all the football games,” concluded Mackey. 

Dr. Barnett noted that Mackey has been a source of wisdom and encouragement since he took office. 

The following day, Mackey visited our local schools across the county to meet with teachers and engage with students on the issues of safety and improvements to the classroom. 

“I have great hope that our best years are ahead of us,” said Mackey. “We’re going to try to support all our schools in the state as best we can.”