Assistant Principal Chad White did not initially plan to become a school administrator.
“It wasn’t something I set out to do,” he said, noting, “I always loved fashion.” White said he spent time when he was younger designing shoes, and he nearly made a career out of it after being offered a job at a shoe company in New York City.
He graduated from FCHS in 1996 and then attended Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) not knowing what he wanted to major in. At first, he began studying mass communication–the process of sharing information through mass media –but after a while, he switched his major to Fashion Merchandising.
Overall, White loved being at VCU. “There were so many nationalities, and I was exposed to different people. I preferred college over highschool because it’s like the second phase of life,” he said.
While he ended up declining a job in the fashion industry because of the low pay, this didn’t deter his love for shoes that continues to this day. In fact, he claims to own more than 125 pairs of shoes and says he will soon be taking over a second closet at home.
After his initial interest in fashion, White eventually decided he wanted to be an educator. Upon graduation, he returned to Fluvanna and became a math teacher for the next 17 years, covering courses such as Algebra and Geometry. While working, he attended the University of Phoenix via an online program and earned his master’s degree in Cross Categorical Special Education.
White has been an assistant principal for three years now, but has been in the district for 23 years. He said his favorite part of working with students is watching them help one another. Despite facing a fair amount of what some might consider disrespect from students, he said he has never been cursed out. “I don’t take it personally,” he said when asked about how he handles disrespect from students facing consequences.
White says his life experiences have encouraged him to remain positive and spread positivity. Nearly every morning, White does the morning announcements at FCHS where he shares important news and information for the day over the intercom. At the end, he shares a quote before signing off by telling FCHS students that he loves them.
Where does he get his morning quotes? “Everything I say is how I feel. It comes from the heart,” he said. He noted that he doesn’t find his quotes online or necessarily plan them far in advance, but that if inspiration strikes for a good quote randomly, he’ll take notes on his phone. If he doesn’t have anything to say some mornings, he’ll leave out the quotes. Still, having been through a lot of tough moments in his life, he said he always tries to be as positive as possible.
Many students describe White as “chill” and “not strict.” In regards to this, White says, “I want [students] to make the right choice. When you say ‘strict’ I guess it’s the way I go about it. I get to the point.” He added that he finds no reason to yell at students, and if they make a mistake he’ll talk about it with them.
Some little-known facts about White include that he is 6 ‘4” and that his favorite movies are “Coming to America” and “Scarface.” He said has never learned to swim, but that he loves Thanksgiving and that the person he most looks up to is himself. “I’m always trying to be the best version of myself,” he says.
White and his wife have three children. Their son, Chazz Barksdale-White, is a senior on the FCHS varsity basketball team. His daughter, Meyah, graduated from FCHS in 2016. White also noted that he recently adopted his nephew.
You can often find White hanging out in the locker bay of the 4300 hallway before first block classes.
