Thank you for visiting the web site for Norton City Schools. It is my hope that our web page provides you with helpful information and serves as a key tool in our efforts to enhance communication between the home and school division. Your comments and suggestions on ways that we can enhance our web page are always welcome.

We are very proud of our school division. We may be small, but we get “big” results.  For example, Norton City Schools is one of only twenty-one school divisions in the Commonwealth of Virginia where all schools and the division made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) this past school year. We are also very proud of the recently completed renovation project at Norton Elementary and Middle School. Without question, this is one of the finest, if not best public school facilities in Southwest Virginia. And, despite our small enrollment at the high school level, our students excel in numerous extra-curricular activities. Our band program consistently receives superior ratings at local band festivals, our football team has been a traditional power at both the district and regional levels, our volleyball team won the district for the first time in school history this past fall, and excitement and expectations are high for our girls basketball team, who are defending district champions and looking to advance even further this year in state competition.

If I can ever be of assistance, please give me a call. In addition, feel free to stop by the office and discuss your thoughts on how we can improve and become an even stronger school division.

Jeff Comer

Email:  jcomer@nortoncityschools.org

November 2009

January 2010

 March 2010

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Biography:

Jeff Comer assumed his responsibilities as Superintendent of Norton City Public Schools on September 1, 2009.  He brings to Norton City the unique characteristic of working at all three levels of public education, which has provided him the opportunity to witness first-hand the challenges and curriculum differences unique to each grade level. In turn, this experience has helped him develop an instructional philosophy that is grounded in the belief that all faculty, regardless of grade level or content area, must emphasize and incorporate research-based instructional strategies that have been proven to maximize student achievement.

Prior to coming to Norton City, Dr. Comer served as principal of Northwood Middle School, located in Saltville, Virginia, from July, 2003 through August, 2009. During his tenure, Northwood Middle went from a school that was Accredited with Warning by the Virginia Department of Education to being recognized as a winner of a Governor’s Competence to Excellence Award. Some of his other accomplishments include the implementation of a seven-period instructional schedule and the incorporation of a weekly activity schedule that allowed club meetings and bullying prevention activities , co-writing a fully-funded 21st Century Community Learning grant that provided after-school programs and additional technological equipment enhancements, the creation of semester-long SOL review courses for eighth grade students who had performed poorly on their prior year reading or math SOL tests, and adding an elective Algebra I, Part I course for those students that traditionally would not enroll in an Algebra I course at the eighth grade level. He also served as principal at Saltville Elementary School (1999-2003) before moving to Northwood Middle.

Prior to becoming an administrator, Dr. Comer taught and coached for a total of 16 years at schools located in both Virginia and Georgia. His coaching experience included 3 years as the head football coach and athletic director at Northwood High School (Saltville, VA) and 2 years as the head football coach at Holston High School (Damascus, VA). He was chosen as the 1992 Hogoheegee District Football Coach of the Year.

He graduated from Rich Valley High School (Saltville, VA) in 1979. Dr. Comer received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Health and Physical Education form Emory and Henry College in 1983, where he also served as captain of the 1982 football team. He received his Master’s degree in educational leadership from Virginia Tech in 1993 and his Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from East Tennessee State University in 2007.

His wife, the former Kristie L. Barbrow, also works in public education, currently serving as the guidance director at Northwood High School. Dr. and Mrs. Comer have three sons. The oldest child, Ryan, is a freshman at George Mason University while Zak is a junior at Northwood. The youngest, K.J., will be entering Kindergarten next year and Dr. Comer is eagerly anticipating K.J. becoming a part of the Raider student family.