Zach Bost is no stranger to high-ranked schools and school districts, having assisted with moving two different schools in Mississippi to an “A” rating during his time as a teacher and administrator.
So he should fit right in at the highest-ranked school district in the state when he takes over as the new principal at Petal High School, effective July 1. Bost, whose hiring was approved May 25 by the Petal School District Board of Trustees, will take over for current principal Rob Knight, who recently was promoted to assistant superintendent of the school district.
“This is (a very important) school in the district, and I take that as a heck of a responsibility,” Bost said. “This is the number one school district in the state. I’m excited and can’t wait to see what the future holds, and what direction we can steer the ship going forward.
"When this job came open and I heard about it, the draw of a prestigious school district was definitely what pulled me in this direction. I had some tough conversations with my old staff, and there were a lot of tears, but I know the future’s bright. So we’re excited to be here.”
Bost is currently meeting with faculty and staff at the high school, and said he will take the next couple of months to listen and learn the best way to helm the school.
“I’m taking over at a school where the principal did an amazing job,” he said. “I have my own ideas, I’m sure, but I want to get to know the people, so after I meet the staff I’m going to try to meet with them one-on-one.
“I need to take it all in. Over the next two months, we’ll come out and prepare for school to start. I think first and foremost, I’m kind of getting myself into the culture of the district, and I want to get to know the people I’m going to be working with every day."
Bost, a graduate of Starkville High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Science from Mississippi State University and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Arkansas State University. He holds a specialist degree and a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from William Carey University.
Bost served as a biology teacher, department chair and PLC leader at Wayne County High School, where he also was baseball coach and the 2014 Teacher of the Year. He has been District Development Facilitator for the Wayne County School District, assistant principal at George County High School, principal at Central Elementary School, and was the 2019 Mississippi Association of Educators Administrator of the Year.
He is married to Katie Bost; the couple has a 6-year-old son, Micah.
“We got a lot of accolades there (at Central Elementary School) with national kind of attention, and became a lot of big news and achieved a lot together,” Bost said. “There’s no doubt (that my experience has prepared me for this) - it’s almost like a stepping ladder, if you will.
“Any time you move to a different level, you learn new skills, traits and abilities. Hopefully I can bring what I’ve learned throughout all my previous experiences to this new one.”
Bost said the school district’s high rating wasn’t the only thing that led him to the job - it was also the culture of the district, which places people over programs. In particular, Bost enjoys the relationship-building aspect of the job, as well as the attitude of caring for one another.
“I’ve already witnessed that; I just met the other principals, and instantly, we connected,” he said. “It seems like everybody that I’ve met, there’s something about this place that’s infectious in a good way.
“It’s magnetic, about how they connect with people and relate to one another. The culture here is so good, and I think that’s ultimately what will bring people here and keep them here, in the best district in the state.”
Matt Dillon, superintendent of the Petal School District, said there was a strong applicant pool of candidates to fill Knight’s position. However, as he and the board got further into the interview process, Bost stood out as the best fit for the job.
“It’s because of his culture building, and also his ability to foster positive relationships not only with students and staff, but families and communities,” Dillon said. “The high school is going in a very good direction because of the great people that we have; we’re just looking to enhance that.
“I think with his strong piece around relationships, his ability to continue to influence and push staff members, it’s going to be a positive for us. We have a strong assistant principal team that’s going to really rally around Dr. Bost as they get to know each other, and then in conjunction with that, over the summer our staff is going to get to know him. From there, it looks to be exciting times as we go into August, so I think the high school is an a really good position to continue to thrive and excel, and that’s what our expectations are moving forward.”
