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Only days after being named the new headmaster at Fort Dale Academy, David Sikes is already settling into his new role, but the seasoned leader is no stranger to the school or to Greenville.

Sikes, who was serving as Pike Road High School’s first principal, was hired this week by the Fort Dale Board of Trustees. He replaces Kurt Page, who was headmaster during the 2019-20 school year. Page replaced longtime headmaster David Brantley.

Sikes has decades of administrative experience, including stints in the Camellia City. From 1995-97, he was the Greenville High School head softball coach and an assistant football coach. He taught physical education courses at Greenville Middle School and served as the counselor for W.O. Parmer Elementary School during the 1996-97 school year.

“It’s very exciting,” Sikes said Thursday afternoon while settling in at the campus. “It’s a job that I’ve thought about for a long time. The timing was good for me and I think good for them, and it’s worked out really well for us.”

The move is also special to Sikes because his wife, Jami Barlow Sikes, is a graduate of FDA.

“She’s in the Hall of Fame here for basketball,” he said. “She was an Achiever Award winner and my mom actually taught here. I’ve got a lot of connections to the school. It’s like a homecoming.”

Board Chairman Howard Meadows said the board is excited to have Sikes on board.

“Time and again throughout the interview process and in speaking with former colleagues, the board confirmed Mr. Sikes’ leadership skills and ability to properly handle a myriad of problems,” he said. “Mr. Sikes also has several connections to the City of Greenville and Fort Dale Academy. The board believes that his knowledge and understanding of the school and the community will serve him well in leading us into the future.”

Sikes said he is looking forward to getting settled in.

“I’m glad to be here- ecstatic to be here,” he concluded. “It’s always had a good reputation as a good school and it’s been a thought of mine to be here and the timing just worked out perfectly – I think for everybody. We want to come in and make sure we take care of our students, take care of our faculty and staff and give everybody a chance to be successful.”

To read more about Sikes, pick up a copy of next Wednesday’s edition of The Greenville Advocate.