Ray Carlock’s goal is to provide teachers and administrators in the Brookhaven School District with the tools they need to grow successful students.

Carlock officially takes over the reins as the BSD superintendent on July 1, but he’s been getting ready for the new school year since May. Superintendent Ben Cox will retire at the end of June.

Carlock, of Meadville, who served as superintendent of the Franklin County School District for the past four years, has met with BSD teachers to ensure a smooth transition.

“Everything that I wanted them to do new for next year, they already know about it,” he said. “Everybody’s ready to go.”

Some of that “new” is a preschool for early child education, which will enroll between 120 and 140 students. He’s also updating the district’s curriculum and introducing a new testing program, “Measures of Academic Progress,” which will measure students’ progress throughout the year. Students in kindergarten through 11th grade will be tested at the beginning of the school year, then again halfway through and just before the end of the year.

He said the test results will allow teachers to make decisions that can improve instruction during the school year.

“You just watch it (test results) each time and if you see problem areas, you devote resources to those areas,” he said. Carlock has vowed to do “whatever it takes to help the kids grow.”

Carlock will oversee more than twice as many students in his new role. Enrollment in Franklin County School District was about 1,300 students. Brookhaven School District is about 3,000, he said.

In Franklin County, Carlock raised the district accountability score from a C to a B. His challenge in Brookhaven is to raise the district’s D to something better. He also wants to see ACT scores climb.

He said it will take the continued cooperation and commitment of his staff and the community to accomplish that goal. “This is a great bunch of people and a great bunch of teachers. We’re just trying to get better,” he said.

Carlock, who’ll be 55 in July, serves in the Mississippi Army National Guard as a lieutenant colonel at the medical command in Jackson. He is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and is a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Gideon’s International, Lion’s Club and Meadville Baptist Church, where he serves as a deacon.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Mississippi State University, master’s degree in public health and a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Carlock initially pursued a career in petroleum engineering but was drawn to education. After a few years as an engineer he tried teaching and loved it.

He’s been married to Janet Calcote Carlock for 32 years, and they’ve lived in Meadville for 28 of those. They sold their home last week and hope to settle in Brookhaven some time in early July. For now he’s making the 30-minute commute to work.

The couple have three adult children. Kane Carlock, 27, is in the Navy stationed in Japan. Jace Carlock, 25, is a civil engineer in Houston and serves in the Navy Reserve. Quin Brumfield, 20, recently married and is studying speech pathology at University of Southern Mississippi.

Carlock said he’s received “great support” from residents, business owners and area pastors.

“They’ve been welcoming us to the community and offering to help in any way,” he said.

Cox, who’s been superintendent since Jan. 30, 2014, announced his decision to retire in November. Carlock was named superintendent Feb. 2.

He said he was motivated to apply after Cox said glowing things about the district and also because of the community support he has seen BSD receive over the years.