• Financially, the school system has operated under a balanced budget every year since 2004 through, while maintaining a modest expansion of system reserves every year during that period. The system has avoided layoffs of certified personnel throughout the recession, and avoided increases in local property tax rates (maintained at 18.59 mills), despite several years of state budget cuts. During Superintendent Bass’ tenure, the system retired all remaining long-term bonded debt for school construction during the 1990’s. In 2005, the school system’s 2007-2012 SPLOST was passed with over 80% public support.
   
• School facilities were improved and expanded. Welch Elementary School, Lee Middle School, Brooks Elementary School and three 9th grade campuses were all built using SPLOST funds during Bass’s tenure as superintendent. There were major renovations at several older schools, including Ruth Hill Elementary, Moreland Elementary, Arnco-Sargent Elementary, Eastside Elementary, East Coweta Middle and Evans Middle schools. New classroom construction reduced use of portable classrooms system-wide from over 100 units in 2004 to less than 20 units in 2010, despite ongoing student enrollment growth during the entire 7-year period. Following a recommendation of the 2005 SACS Accreditation team, Bass also built the Werz Drive Central office and central student registration center.
   
• Academically, the school system excelled and began a number of initiatives aimed at increasing student achievement. Superintendent Bass established standards-based classrooms in Coweta County schools, hired the system curriculum specialists in math and science. The school system’s teacher intern program was established through a partnership with the State University of West Georgia. Articulation agreements between the school system and Mercer University and Brewton-Parker College were also established. During Bass’ tenure, the school system successfully sought two district-wide reaccreditations (SACS in 2005, and AdvancED 2010, covering the years 2006 through 2016). SAT scores rose from 1007 in 2003 to 1020 in 2010 (Coweta’s system-wide math and verbal average passing the nation for the first time in 2007). In 2009, all Coweta schools made AYP under No Child Left Behind. By 2010, no schools were on the NCLB Needs Improvement List, for the first time since No Child Left Behind was enacted.
   
• Others accomplishments during Bass’ Superintendency included the system-wide redistricting of all elementary and middle schools through a county-wide parent redistricting committee. A voluntary, system-wide Sick Leave Bank was established, as was the school system’s first internal leadership development program. Coweta schools were returned to a school-based leadership model, and the school system enjoyed it’s highest-ever teacher retention rates during his tenure.

“For me, my most important accomplishments happened on my first day,” said Bass. “I was charged with re-establishing teacher morale, and moving our system forward after a very difficult period during which the system was governed from a more top-down approach. That first day, I met with principals and told them ‘you have your schools back.’ I told central office staff that we were there to support them. I wanted to place emphasis back on the principalship and on the classroom teacher.”

“After two years of uncertainty, some were concerned that it would take another year or more to restore system morale. By putting the emphasis back at the school level, that happened within weeks,” said Bass.

“We have a strong system because of the people who are here,” said Bass. “We are fortunate to have strong, dedicated, talented teachers. They do an incredible job and we owe them tremendous thanks. Our schools also have great principals, and strong parental and community support. Those are the reasons that we’ve been able to accomplish what we have.”

A native of Coweta County, Bass is a product of the Coweta County School System, having graduated in 1971 from Newnan High School. Bass earned his B.A. in History at West Georgia College, a Masters and EDS degrees in Administration from West Georgia. He began teaching U.S. History and coaching varsity football in 1976, first at Heard County High and then at Villa Rica High School. He came back home to Coweta County in 1978 and taught at Evans Middle School and served as the defensive coordinator for the Newnan High Cougars under head coach Max Bass (no relation). He held both positions until 1990.
 
Bass then served as Assistant Principal at East Coweta High School from 1990 to 1994 and Principal at Central Middle School from 1994 to 1997. He moved to system administration under Superintendent Richard Brooks and served as Director of Human Resources for the school system from 1997 to 1998, as Executive Director of Administrative Services from 1998-2000, and was then named Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services in 2000. Bass served as Associate Superintendent of the Coweta County School System from 2002 to the end of 2004, when he was named Superintendent of the Coweta County School System by the Coweta Board of Education. \

During his 34 years in education, he has several strong memories. “I remember returning as a coach to the field where I played ball as a student. I remember almost winning a state football championship in 1981. I remember being named principal of Central Middle School. One of my strongest memories is also being appointed superintendent under the circumstances that I was, and being charged with putting things back together,” he said.

Bass says that he is looking forward to retirement, however. “It feels great,” he said. “I’m ready to start the 2nd part of my life and spend more time with my grandson, Ethan. It also feels good right now to know that – by April, and for the first time since I was 16 – I don’t have a job to go to, and I don’t have to go to school.”