Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan chatted with Liberty Middle School students during lunch. He asked this table if they would rather give up taquitos or their phones. (The answer was their phones.)
Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan chatted with Liberty Middle School students during lunch. He asked this table if they would rather give up taquitos or their phones. (The answer was their phones.)
MICA BANKS photos / THE PAPER
Between your phone and taquitos, which would you give up?
For a couple of students at Liberty Middle School, it was cell phones. A life without taquitos was simply out of the question.
Burke County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan sprung the question on students while they ate pizza in the cafeteria. He felt the same: He would rather give up his phone than lose taquitos.
Monday marked the first day of a new school year. Swan visited a number of schools, including Freedom High, Liberty Middle, and North Liberty School.
Throughout the first week, Swan, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Karen Auton, Public Relations Officer Cheryl Shuffler, and department directors fan out and visit the district’s 24 schools on a rotating schedule. By the end of the week, each person has set foot in every school.
Walking the schools is a way for Swan and district leaders to be visible and available for parents, staff, and students.
It also allows for live action problem-solving, Swan said. When schools encounter issues with bus routes or overscheduled classes, for example, leadership can help find solutions sooner rather than later.
Burke County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan showed a North Liberty School student how to play pat-a-cake.
MICA BANKS / THE PAPER
Swan knew teachers and staff on a first-name basis, often asking how their families were and making pleasant conversation laced with his playful humor.
Throughout Liberty and North Liberty, teachers and staff reported a good, smooth first day.
Talking to parents is just as important to Swan.
“Normally, I’m hitting the car rider lines first thing in the morning and talking to parents,” Swan said. “That visibility aspect … is important for all of us (in leadership positions).”
BCPS’ 2026-27 academic year continues through June 4, 2027, ending with a half-day on a short week since Memorial Day is on May 31, 2027.
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