As schools across Georgia navigate uncertain waters in the coming weeks at the start of the new school year, Brian Keefer will be more involved than most.

  The Hampton Elementary School principal was sworn in on July 13 as this year’s president of the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Previously he spent three years as district president, representing a region that includes Henry, Fayette, Griffin-Spalding, Butts, Pike, Lamar and Newton counties. Now he represents some 1,300 principals across Georgia.

  “The association’s purpose is to serve as a platform for principals around the state to be able to collaborate with one another, and to grow professionally their practices as leaders of their schools and communities,” said Keefer, who came to Hampton in the summer of 2015 after four years as an administrator in Chatham County. “The organization also serves as an advocacy voice for local, state and federal governments. We advocate for the needs of our communities and our schools with legislators who can shape legislation to support that.”

  The GAESP is one of three organizations under the umbrella of the Georgia Association of Education Leaders, which meets a few times a year so its members can share ideas, promote professional development and advocate for public education.

  As districts such as Henry County consider how to implement their learning program this fall post-COVID, the organization Keefer represents does not take a position on such matters.

  “We don’t advocate for a model for returning to school,” he said. “We advocate for supporting principals for whatever decisions are made at the governmental level and district level, to make sure they are implemented successfully.”

  With 180 public school districts in Georgia, there will be a wide variety of different perspectives on what school can and should look like this fall, and many different plans will be considered.

  Because this is a pandemic and something people have never encountered before, some very difficult decisions are being made by districts, and for everyone’s safety they are making the best decisions they possibly can,” said Keefer. “The guidance from the CDC, the Department of Education and others is constantly changing, so districts must have flexible plans in place.”

    Keefer’s background includes serving as a special education teacher in all K-12 grades, an elementary teacher in third and fourth grade, an instructional facilitator and an assistant principal before assuming his current role.

  “I will take what I do and what I learn in the course of action as principal at Hampton Elementary, and I’ll use those experiences and serve as a lead advocate for principals around the state.”