New Riser Middle School principal D.J. Davis knew he was good in football, but not so much education.
After all, he played on the college level at then-Northeast Louisiana University, and he was adamant that he was finished taking tests when he graduated with his Bachelor’s Degree in Business in 1999.
However, it was through football that he realized that maybe a career in education was for him.
Davis was coaching his son in little league football when his former teammate at West Monroe High School and now coach Jeremy Many approached him.
“He said, ‘You’re wasting your talent. You need to consider seeing if they can use you over at Riser,’” Davis said.
Riser is home to Davis. He grew up in the neighborhood and went to middle school there. He told Many he would check into coaching, but he waited a few more months. In 2010, he started out by substitute teaching at elementary and high schools, but never really on the middle school level.
A year later, Riser Middle requested he substitute for another substitute who was going out on leave.
“I joke that I was so low on the pole that they called me to sub for the sub,” Davis said. “I’m coming straight off the bench. Matter of fact, they weren’t even expecting me to play this game.”
Davis went from a benchwarmer, so to speak, to an all-star. The substitute position was scheduled for only 5 days. That was in January 2011, and Davis hasn’t left.
“I was busy from the time I stepped on campus,” Davis said. “It always worked out. You step off and something would come catch you. When an assignment was about to end, someone else would end up being out.”
Davis became a certified paraprofessional, and even though he said he was finished taking tests after his undergraduate degree, he went back to school in late 2011 to become a certified teacher.
“All the time while I was doing this, I decided education is where I needed to be, so I need to do the proper things to make myself more prepared to be a real teacher,” Davis said.
By the start of the school year in 2012, Davis was a certified science teacher. However, a year before, while still substitute teaching, former principal Rodney Lloyd pulled him aside and asked him about his desire to get into administration.
Davis said he remembered the conversation vividly. He was bringing a class in from recess when Mr. Lloyd asked him if he had ever thought about becoming a principal. It had never crossed Davis’ mind, but Lloyd said it was something he should consider.
“Once he said, ‘I think you would be good,’ that’s all I needed,” Davis said. “It’s the same thing with the kids. I was an adult, but all you need is one person to believe in you. Once he said that, I was ready. I was locked in.”
Davis still didn’t like taking tests, but he went on to earn his Master’s in teaching, became certified in science and physical education and coached football for 3 years. Then, he went back to school to get his Master’s in Education with an emphasis on Educational Leadership. He completed his degree in 2018 just in time for Lloyd to pull him out of the classroom and into administration.
He spent a total of four years under Lloyd, first as the eighth grade disciplinarian, among other duties, and Davis served the last two years as Lloyd’s assistant principal.
“This place felt like family,” Davis said. “It felt like home … just an automatic connection as soon as I got on campus.”
Lloyd became the Director of Child Welfare & Attendance at the end of this past school year, and Davis was ready to step into the Principal role. What started as a 5-day job turned into leading the school he went to as a child.
“I think I bring an understanding because I’m from the community,” Davis said. “I can show the students that I understand some of your challenges or some of the things you go through because I literally lived on the same street that you live on. There’s not too many kids who walk through here that I don’t know their uncle, their grandma, their mama, so for the years I’ve been here, it’s just a family environment.”
THE DAVIS FILE
2011-2012 – Riser Middle School, Substitute & Paraprofessional
2012-2018 – Riser Middle School, Science Teacher & Football Coach
2018-2020 – Riser Middle School, Eighth Grade Disciplinarian
2020-2023 – Riser Middle School, Assistant Principal
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