MEET THE TEACHER
My name is Mark Holliday. I am a native of Augusta, Georgia. I was educated in the Richmond County School system and I am a 1998 graduate of A.R. Johnson Health Professions and Engineering Magnet High School. I am a 2007 graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where I received my Bachelor's Degree in Workforce Education, Training, & Development, and I will be completing my Master of Arts Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix in December 2021. I am a proud member of the United States Air Force Reserves where I am in my 10th year of service (active duty (03-07) & active duty reservist (07-11), and I returned to active duty Air Force reserve service in October of 2021. My hobbies include spending time with my family, going to church, working with student athletes, traveling, writing, and watching both tv and movies.
The Beginning
As the son of a retired high school and middle school math teacher of 40 years, teaching wasn’t what I wanted to do growing up, like most students I wanted to be a professional athlete, but while serving my country I began coaching my oldest child in basketball. As I worked with the young student athletes I found my passion for combining education with the sport I’ve played all my life, and realized that I could make an impact in society through educating our future leaders of tomorrow. All of my former players from that time including my daughter have all graduated from college with either one or two degrees and are nurses, head basketball coaches at the college and high school ranks, commissioned military officers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or have obtained their degrees in other professional fields. The reason that I share that story is because before I moved back to Georgia I knew that upon being honorably discharged from active duty I being an educator was my true calling, and while it chose me long before I chose it next to my belief in God and my family, being an educator is one of the best and most rewarding decisions I’ve made in my life.
Since 2008 I’ve worked in many capacities ranging from PE/Health Teacher, Athletic Director, Middle School Boys and Girls Basketball Head Coach, Middle School Girls Volleyball Head Coach, School Social Worker, Data Clerk/Office Manager, 4th Grade Teacher, 2nd Grade Teacher, Middle School Boys Associate Head Basketball Coach, High School Junior Varsity Assistant Football Coach/College Video and Recruitment Coordinator, High School Men’s Varsity and Junior Varsity Associate Head Coach/College Video and Recruitment Coordinator, and 5th grade teacher. In the spring of 2020 I was blessed to work in a limited capacity at Norris Elementary as a member of the 5th grade team before the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the school system, and following that experience I received a permanent position at Norris Elementary during the 2020-2021 school year, and hopefully I will be here for many years to come.
Things I Like:
Colors: Black, Gold, Purple, and Sky Blue
Candy: Snickers, maple nut goodies, skittles
Sports: Football (Denver Broncos)
College Football (Alabama & UGA)
NBA (Milwaukee Bucks)
Spare time: playing board games and spades, cooking on the grill, going to plays (dramatic arts), continuing to learn new things, helping student athletes get to college
Sweets: Peach Cobbler, Bread Pudding, Pound Cake, Cheese Cake
Food: Seafood, Pizza, Broccoli and cheese casserole
When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe than you'll be successful- Eric Thomas Motivational Speaker
Love the process more than you want the prize or the product - Eric Thomas & Inky Johnson