Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Terry Liggin conducts a check-in with a student on the freshmen hallway on Sept. 16. Among students that he’s worked with, Liggin has developed a reputation for being both no-nonsense and kind. “I just love him. He’s a good guy,” CCHS sophomore Quizere Goodjoines said. “(Liggin is a) great principal, very strict. He does not play.” Photo by Wyatt Meyer
CCHS Assistant Principal Terry Liggin understands students better than most as his past experiences have shaped him into the mentor he is today.
When Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Terry Liggin walks down the hallways of CCHS, he sees himself in every student he passes.
He feels their stress to graduate, to perform well in sports and to foster relationships with peers. He understands, because he was once one of them.
Liggin grew up in Norcross, Georgia, before moving to Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended Seneca High School. From playing football to having his first daughter as a high school student, Liggin has had a variety of experiences that have shaped who he is today.
Clarke Central High School Assistant Principal Terry Liggin speaks to an assembly of freshmen during the first day of school on Aug. 4. During his time as Behavioral Specialist, Liggin focused on working with freshmen struggling in their classes, like now-sophomore Roderick Mann. “He kept me out of trouble, and he just told me to do the right thing. He helped me stay on track with grades,” Mann said. Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
“Life isn’t going to be handed to you. Sometimes you got to go through difficult times, difficult situations.”
— Terry Liggin,
CCHS Assistant Principal
Not only did Liggin have to take on responsibility very early in his life to raise his daughter, but he also worked to advance his athletic career at Eastern Kentucky University, where he earnee a degree in special education. Balancing these obligations helped to guide his core values: hard work and dedication.
“My whole career has been (built) around helping people make really good decisions, because when I was young I made some decisions that forced me to grow up really fast. I had to make choices that I wasn’t
prepared to take,” Liggin said.
Immediately following his graduation from college in 2004, Liggin began working in a variety of roles in education. Over his 20-year career, Liggin has worked in high schools across the South, from Kentucky to Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.
In 2023, he came to CCHS as the District Behavior Specialist before becoming Assistant Principal in February of 2024. Although these roles had different responsibilities, Liggin’s efforts have always been focused on inspiring students to go down the right path.
“That’s the whole goal for me, as a mentor, as a role model, as an educator, as somebody who’s in administration. (I want) to plant different seeds: (teach students) how to make wise decisions, and then talk about the decisions you’ll have to make as you move forward and get older,” Liggin said. “I want to create an environment where kids feel comfortable.”
CCHS sophomore Roderick Mann has experienced this environment firsthand. When Mann was struggling during his freshman year, Liggin supported him first as the Behavioral Specialist and then as the Freshman Academy administrator.
“He stands on what he stands on. If you’re in trouble, he makes sure you go to (In-School Suspension). (If) you’re doing a good thing, he makes sure to compliment you.”
— Roderick Mann,
CCHS sophomore coach
“He stands on what he stands on. If you’re in trouble, he makes sure you go to (In-School Suspension). (If) you’re doing a good thing, he makes sure to compliment you.”
— Roderick Mann,
CCHS sophomore coach
Quizere Goodjoines, also a CCHS sophomore, had a similar experience. He says Liggin encouraged him to start focusing on graduation earlier in his high school career in order to succeed after CCHS.
“(He helped me) do better in classes. He helped me with a whole bunch of stuff, (like) work whenever I
needed help or support,” Goodjoines said. “He is serious about his job, trying to get (students) out of the building, trying to get them to pass all their classes, get all their credits.”
According to CCHS Associate Principal of Operations Tamika Henson, Liggin’s readiness to support students, from in and outside his third floor office, is what sets him apart from other educators.
“His environment for students and adults in the building is easily accessible. He is prompt to attend to the needs of others. It’s a very welcoming environment and is conducive to improvement,” Henson said.
CCHS Assistant Principal Terry Liggin assists CCHS mental health counselor Dr. Meg Huntington during the first day of school on Aug. 1. Before becoming a member of the Clarke Central High School administrative team in February, Associate Principal of Operations Tamika Henson noticed Liggin’s proactive approach to leadership. “Working with him as a behavior specialist from the district, what I noticed is that he was highly energized to meet the needs of students, to connect with families and he is always looking for a solution.” Photo from the ODYSSEY archives
“I get to directly impact kids and adults immediately. I can see the growth.”
— Terry Liggin, CCHS Assistant Principal
Liggin is motivated to create this open dialogue by the long-term effects his interventions yield.
“I get to directly impact kids and adults immediately. I can see the growth, because I’m in and out with teachers, and I’m talking about different techniques in terms of teaching and classroom management. That’s pivotal, being able to see real time change,” Liggin said.
CCHS security officer Chris Hood works with Liggin on student behavioral issues, particularly with freshmen. Hood feels Liggin’s understanding of student behavior and emphasis on communication are what make him a valuable resource to the administrative team.
“His personality is outstanding. He’s a people person. He loves to talk, to communicate, and he gets to know each individual that he comes in contact with,” Hood said. “The problems that a lot of the kids have, he’s able to get it out of them and help them understand the situation, to make them a better person.”
Ultimately, Liggin’s persona can be summed up by a small detail – his notebook. Meticulous, neat notes and to-do lists adorn its pages, which guide Liggin’s conferences with students throughout the school day.
Because of his dedication to this notebook, and by extension, CCHS students, Liggin is able to work toward providing the aid he wanted as a high school student to the next generation.
“To help others: that’s the mission,” Liggin said. “I feel like I was put on this earth to help those who are less fortunate. That’s always been my goal.”
