Meet Bibb County Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims

The Bibb County School District begins August 4 for students.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Bibb County School District is preparing for a new school year under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Dan Sims.

Sims began his tenure as superintendent in July 2022, following the retirement of Dr. Curtis Jones. Sims brings more than two decades of experience in public education, having served as a teacher, principal, and associate superintendent in both Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools.

Dr. Sims spoke with 41NBC about his continued vision for the 2025–26 school year, prioritizing student achievement, community partnerships, and creating strong support systems to help every student succeed.

MONICA- Welcome back. We have Bibb County School Superintendent Doctor Dan Sims joining us. Thank you for being here today.

DAN- It’s great to be here. Thank you so much.

MONICA- I’m excited to have you. We are here getting ready for the school year.

DAN- It’s time.

MONICA- Whether we’re ready or not.  I do have a few questions for you. First off, how do you recruit and retain new educators within the Bibb County School District? And what is staffing look like right now?

DAN- Yeah. So we establish a great relationship and nurture a great relationship with the universities and colleges, not just in our area, but outside this area. We’re careful to hold, timely job fairs, job fairs in the spring. Job fairs in the fall. Virtual job fair. So those, those different angles definitely help us to recruit new educators. The other part is just being, and promoting a great culture. So that when people go and look and consider where they want to lay the stakes and teach, or become an educator, they look at us. So we’re careful to be on social media, showing what we do, how we do it, how beautiful our children are and how great this community is. So that when people consider the Bibb County School District, they consider Macon, Georgia, the whole experience of being in Middle Georgia and all those things. All of those things have proven to be beneficial. We’re sitting at about we’re at about, about 20 vacancies, which is actually really good given these times of, teacher shortages. So we’ve done a fantastic job. My HR department in particular of, of carrying the water of ensuring that people consider Bibb County when they consider whether they want to change the lives of children.

MONICA- Alright. And I do have another question for you. Now, Bibb County leaders approved $345,000 to fund truancy specialists for three school years. How will this help fix the problem that you speak about? About chronic absenteeism?

DAN- So grateful to the Mayor and the Commission for this approval. And we just look forward to adding another layer of support, along with accountability in the space of chronic absenteeism, we recognize that, truancy is an issue. And according to the laws, there are certain things that our families must abide by. So while this is armed, it’s going to focus on truancy and engaging with the courts. The concept here is that we support our families. We dig to see what the issues are. Work with providers in our in our community to try to solve the issue of why our children aren’t coming to school. So this particular position, this person will focus on, on a community based approach, in addition to working with the courts to find that balance and to ensure that we account for the needs along with accountability. We realize how important it is for us to work together with families. And while it is the responsibility of a parent or guardian to get their child out of the bed, out of the house and onto a bus or into a car, we want to be that support to ensure that that happens. And this choice is best, this is going to help us in that space.

MONICA- Also, I want to talk about the Bibb County Board of Education deciding to increase the property taxes by 4.65%. Now, what do you want people to know about this? Can you speak to that?

DAN- I’m glad you’re bringing it up. So, so we as a school district don’t increase property taxes. We set the millage rate.

MONICA- Okay.

DAN- For the past, eight years or so, we’ve either maintained the millage rate or rolled back the millage rate. Property tax is based on once millage rate is based on property values. So our tentative proposal is two. Maintain the millage rate as a result, based on the property values that are currently on the table, it will result in a 4.65% increase. Like I don’t have the authority to raise property taxes. And actually, as we think about just everything else that has increased inflation that impacts our district, health care costs, that impact our district, materials and supplies is out of control, but we can control our millage rate.We feel like a fair space for us is to maintain our millage rate, for the time being. And, and just be good stewards of the funds that we have available.

MONICA- Alright. And lastly, I want to talk about it. We’re going to talk about standardized testing. Now for students who may not have met standardized testing requirements. What are you doing to help those students that are struggling and their families, you know, specifically, even with reading, what are you doing to help those kids and families?

DAN- Great. So we’re very well aware of where our students are. And we carefully study data all the time. And as we get ready for this new school year, we look forward to the continuation of, of a great curriculum that is in place. And I think about literacy being one of our priorities. Our staff have been trained greatly in the science of reading. And we plan to continue implementing the science of reading through our curriculum, at its highest level, with emphasis on all of our learners, but understanding we have some who’ve yet to meet that mark. That’s going to be a critical piece, another critical piece has to do with intervention time. And that is that is time that we’ve allocated to account for the needs of students, high level learners and lower level learners to target those issues and to ensure that that intervention adds value to what happens during the school day.