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Laurel educator will begin role as district superintendent July 1

“Excellence, discipline, grit, integrity and teamwork” are personal values by which Michael Eubanks has lived his life and will be bringing with him to his upcoming position as superintendent of the Laurel School District.

When Superintendent Toy Watts announced she would be retiring at the end of this school year, the Laurel School District Board of Trustees searched for the perfect candidate for her replacement — and it didn’t take long to find their man.

Eubanks will step into his new position on July 1, and he does not take his new role lightly. As he and Watts have discussed, there is a dramatic difference in “looking at the seat and sitting in the seat,” but Eubanks is well prepared and determined to make a difference in not only the school district but also the community.

“I’m excited about this new chapter,” Eubanks said. “Dr. Watts is leaving the district in a good place to build a foundation for us to move forward, and I’m just very excited about it.”

Since Eubanks has been in the Laurel School District, he made a discovery early on that has benefited him throughout his career in Laurel. “I’ve learned that it’s really a family at Laurel, and the sooner that we can capitalize on that concept that we are a family and let every individual who works here know that we care about them, the better it will be for the well-being of all of our works and our organization as a whole,” Eubanks said.

Eubanks has served as an educator, teacher, coach, assistant principal, high school principal and assistant superintendent, and he has even driven a few bus routes whenever the district has been shorthanded. Stepping into the shoes of so many positions has given him a special perspective that he says will help to prepare him to lead the school district properly and make sure that all needs are met.

“Getting a chance to partake in all of those positions has given me a different perspective and understanding of the organization,” Eubanks said. “Each position is different and requires an appropriate approach. As I’ve talked to Dr. Watts, we often think we know how things will be, but later find out that they are often completely different. It has given me a structural perspective of being a structural leader in every position that I have served.”

A majority of the structure and dedication that Eubanks contains and brings to his position can be traced back to his youth growing up in the Mississippi Delta. Besides being an excellent scholar when he attended Delta State University, he also brought his impressive athletic prowess to the gridiron. As an outstanding outside linebacker for the Statesmen’s football team, Eubanks was twice selected Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and has also been honored as the GSC Defensive Player of the Decade. The three-time All-American was also one of the finalists for the Harlon Hill Award, which is the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. To this day, he still holds many school and conference records.

“My personal background is as an athlete,” Eubanks said. “I had some really great coaches at Delta State and I have ties with people that have challenged me to be the best version of myself, and I hope to bring those initiatives to the role of superintendent. It’s in my DNA to be very competitive in everything I do. I am going to compete in this position, and I’m going to push others around me to compete as well so that we have our own identity as a school district. I want us to be constantly changing from good to great at what we do.”

After stellar academic and athletic careers at Delta State, Eubanks came to the Pine Belt to finish his education in pre-med, but he quickly found out that his passion was in education and helping to build a brighter future for the world.

It seems as though Eubanks was destined to find his true calling in education and has never doubted his decision to change majors. And he says he’s blessed that he found his way to the Laurel School District.

“There is so much potential and so much opportunity here because of the history Laurel has — the history of academics, athletics, the arts and so many other facets of the educational process,” Eubanks said. “It is powerful. I think that is also the DNA fabric of who we are here at Laurel. It’s what everybody loves. The heart of everything we do will always focus on teaching and learning.”

But Eubanks understands that remarkable things can only happen when there is a dedicated and supportive staff that focuses on the student as a whole. The work of an effective school district that produces quality citizens and leaders revolves around much more than the performance of the students in the classroom. Eubanks emphasized that basic needs, such as nutritious meals, clothing, shelter and emotional assistance, are needed to ensure that each student excels. Making sure that students who lack those necessities are taken care of is necessary before the educational process can begin.

“There are so many needs that we have to meet —social needs — and prepare the students for their work in the classroom and the world at large,” Eubanks said. “All of those needs do not work in isolation. We as educators are creating environments in our schools that make the children feel that those needs are met. It starts with the well-being of the kids, the staff, the faculty and the administrators.”

With a smile, Eubanks said that “health and wellness” will always be his battlecry for a successful life. It is his desire for the community to be involved in these issues as well, saying that parents or community leaders shouldn’t be surprised if they are asked to participate in a 5K run or parents-vs.-teachers basketball game. “Teamwork” is more than just a buzzword for Eubanks — it is the key to becoming an even greater school district.

“No organization can move forward without cohesiveness and moving forward to the same goal,” Eubanks said. “The more people we have on board with that idea, the more successful we will be.”

Those are just a few of the ideas and plans that Eubanks has been contemplating for the future of the school district. In his methodical, energetic mind, Eubanks has seemingly developed a plan to create a school district that prepares the students for greatness during their upper education training, and even after they graduate from high school.

But he knows that for those concepts to be successful, he must implement those ideas the moment that the students begin school. He is already planning for his future kindergarteners who will be the Class of 2038.

“Academics and athletics are the foundation of what we do here at Laurel, and we must build off the momentum of them so that our kids will have the best experience that they can have in the district,” Eubanks said. “There are so many legacies that exist within Laurel that we don’t want to forget, and we want to stand on the shoulders of the individuals who have already paved the way for us.”

The forward-thinking Eubanks has already been working on concepts and programs that he hopes to put in place that will bring out the best in each student, emphasizing that the educational process starts as soon as pre-K. “We have to start thinking about our kindergartners for the next 12 to 15 years,” Eubanks said. “We have to prepare them for what this world will be like in whatever field they pursue. We have to prepare them for that.”

Eubanks learned many of those lessons during his time as a high school principal. Thinking and preparing for the future is imperative for the success of the next generation. While at Laurel High School, he discovered that educators and administrators must contemplate not just the present situations of students, but also the past and future of those students.

“You can’t think in isolation,” Eubanks said. “You can’t think of only what is the present. We have to think about the kids that are getting ready to graduate in four years. We must think about the kids that will be coming up to the high school next year — not just where they are right now.”

During his tenure as principal at Laurel High School, Eubanks was instrumental in many advances and accomplishments, such as an increase in graduation rates, letters of scholarship and a huge increase in academic standing, but his greatest achievement to date is his program of dual enrollment with Jones College. Eubanks was the guiding force behind the Middle College — the association with Jones College so that students accepted into the program could attend classes at the college —tuition-free, complimentary books for classes and even bus transportation to the Ellisville campus. With the success of the program, the interest level has heightened. After seeing their peers accomplish such goals, more students are excited about the program and eager to join.

“We want our students to have all the opportunities to be all that they can be,” Eubanks said. “It took about two years to get our program off the ground, but last year was our first year of students who graduated with a high school degree and an associate degree at the same time. That’s one of the ways of being innovative to help our kids excel at every level. We are very passionate about the program.”

He hinted at future innovations connected to the Middle College program but wouldn’t let any secrets out. “Just stay tuned,” he said with a smile.

“We must have a world-class educational system so that our kids can have the best opportunities possible, and they can decide what it is that they want to do when they leave us,” Eubanks said. “They have options because they are prepared. Our administration has been focused on creating the portrait of the student that we want to produce — working on the objectives of a graduate that we want to produce. That will be the blueprint of how we do business inside and outside of the classroom.”

Eubanks’ creative approach to education is primarily based on connecting with and influencing the child as a whole. By collaborating with others, the students learn “emotional intelligence,” making them more adept at dealing with whatever should arise. “We need to be intentional about producing the highest caliber students as possible,” Eubanks said. “We need to be intentional, always thinking outside of the box and being innovative. We have to be able to prepare our students for a world that doesn’t even exist yet. We need to be forward-thinking as it pertains to how we are moving forward as a district.”

Eubanks understands that to be a good leader and steward for the people, the small things must be taken care of first before success can be accomplished. “Being present, being accounted for — doing little things right will affect the big picture,” Eubanks said. “We have pockets of greatness all over this district, and we just want to elucidate them through excellence, determination and teamwork. Those core values are especially important to me. When we teach our kids how to properly deal with conflicts, we are helping them to become the best version of themselves.”

For Eubanks, no person —regardless of his or her title, position or work — goes overlooked. He understands the importance that each individual in the district and the community plays in helping to build the success of future generations. “We have so many people in our district that I call ‘unseen heroes,’” Eubanks said. “These are the people behind the scenes that impact children every day, such as the bus drivers who make sure the students get to school on time, the cafeteria workers who make sure that the students have a nutritious meal, the custodial and maintenance staff that work hard to make sure that our students can learn in a healthy environment. Each one of them is important to the success of the school district.”

It is apparent that Eubanks has already done remarkable things for the Laurel School District, but he does not plan to sit on his laurels. He has a wealth of knowledge and creative, innovative ideas that he is eager to put into place, all for the benefit of the students. His compassion and internal drive to create a stellar school district is evident.

Eubanks isn’t the only one who’s excited about the future of the district. So is Watts, who is stepping down from her position this summer. She does not doubt that the school board made the correct decision by choosing Eubanks. She is eager to see him take the Laurel School District to even greater heights.

“Dr. Eubanks was an excellent choice to continue the legacy of excellence in the Laurel School District,” Watts said. “He has had the opportunity to become a trusted leader in our community. Dr. Eubanks is a major contributor to the success we have experienced. He is innovative, driven and very focused on doing what is the right thing for the students of the Laurel School District. And I am looking forward to being one of his supportive parents!”

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