Local & State Headlines

Byne welcomes new headmaster

• A former headmaster of an Orlando Christian school begins his tenure at Byne Memorial Baptist School.

Holly McCarthy

ALBANY — The search for a new headmaster at Byne Memorial Baptist School is over.

David Bess took the helm Monday, and the West Virginia native says Albany has given him a “fantastic” welcome.

“I’ve been in six other schools, and the board at Byne has just been so supportive,” Bess said.

Bess said he held leadership positions in four of those schools.

“When my wife and I drove away from here (after interviewing) we were just thoroughly impressed with the caliber of people on the school board,” Bess said. “Their love of the school just emanated from them.”

Bess said he stepped down from a previous headmaster position at Central Florida Christian Academy in Orlando when “the Lord laid it on my heart that it was time to look for another school.”

Bess has previous experience working at seven Christian schools and one community college. The enrollment at those institutions ranged from 125 to 700 students.

Byne has 161 students enrolled.

Bess, who prefers for parents to call him Dave, said one of the reasons he chose to pursue the position was the community.

“I like rural settings,” Bess said. “There are 80,000 people here but it still has a rural feel to it. The people are very real, very personable, very warm and family oriented.”

Bess, who filled the position after John Davis resigned in June, said his goal is to make sure that Byne’s church and school are well represented in the community.

“I want to make sure that our product is a quality product that parents can be proud of and that glorifies Jesus,” Bess said.