By Ed Simmons, Jr.
cpreporter@verizon.net
While his wife Cathy and daughter Abigail were house-hunting, Dr. Greg Killough who is the new superintendent of Caroline Public Schools managed to take a little time off from meeting all of the teachers and staff to pay a call on The Caroline Progress last Wednesday.
They'd driven up for a day's visit from Wise County in southwest Virginia where Dr. Killough has been superintendent for the past three years. He officially becomes our superintendent July 1.
Chairman of the School Board Wendell Simms brought him by the offices of the Progress where he sat down for a interview. Cathy and Abigail, along with Century 21 realtor Jayme Herndon, caught up with them later at the office and to pose for a photograph in front of the courthouse.
A soft-spoken man, Dr. Killough communicates clearly and to the point. He said he planned to keep in touch with the citizens of Caroline through media, internet, and parent advisory committees.
"I'm comfortable with the media and enjoyed good media relations back in Wise County," he said.
He was raised in Blacksburg where his father taught finance at Virginia Tech. There he met Cathy, his wife-to-be, 29 years ago. The previous year, while home for the summer from his undergraduate studies at Virginia Tech, he took a job as a counselor at a Christian camp. Discovering he thoroughly enjoyed teaching young people and finding fulfillment in that, he decided to go into education.
The next summer he persuaded Cathy to join him as a counselor at the camp. After two summers together, they married. After five years of marriage they had their first child, Desirae. Brittany Paige followed, then Abigail who will be a sophomore at Caroline High.
In his career in education that followed he taught technology education Virginia Beach, then became an assistant principal and principal. This led to a doctorate at The University of Virginia and his becoming superintendent in Wise.
Cathy meanwhile embarked on an education career of her own, with experience from kindergarten to seventh grade, and in teaching gifted students. She is looking for a teaching position outside the County.
Christianity continues as an inspiration in their lives.
Dr. Killough said he and his wife prayed about coming to Caroline, attracted by the opportunity, the central nature of the County's location and the close proximity to Cathy's mother's home. After prayer, he said they felt good about the idea of coming to the County, and so made their decision.
He said they don't feel confined to any particular denomination but consider themselves "Christians first." They've attended and been members of Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches.
They enjoy outdoor activities like walking, running, hiking and biking. He also likes woodworking when he can find the time.
In Caroline, he said he wanted "to take a great school system and make it even better."
"Working with school children helps me grow," he said. "It's wonderful."