The subject of our second Faculty Focus of the year (the first was on Mr. Miles Brite, who teaches history and coaches football) is the new Director of School Safety, Mr. Clay Wilder. 

From a young age, Mr. Wilder knew exactly what he wanted to do with his life: be a police officer. Growing up in Nash County, he looked up to his father, who served as a North Carolina state trooper. Watching his dad work taught him the importance of helping others and always doing what’s right, and he knew following in his father’s footsteps by joining law enforcement would be a great way to do both.

After graduating from Northern Nash High School, where he played football and excelled in science, Mr. Wilder immediately entered the police academy. Over the years, he worked in several divisions: patrol, narcotics, and criminal investigations. He even teaches defensive tactic classes at the police academy, specializing in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (which focuses on subduing an opponent through ground fighting), although he also knows Korean Tang Soo Do (which relies on an upright stance with hand striking and kicks). Now retired from the RMPD, Mr. Wilder continues to teach self-defense courses at Nash Community College for members of law enforcement.

Looking back on his 30 years in law enforcement, Mr. Wilder says his favorite role was serving as a school resource officer (SRO) at Rocky Mount High School for 5 years and at Parker Middle School for 2.5 years. When asked about his time as an SRO, he said, “It’s about heart over anything else.” What made the job so enjoyable, then, wasn’t the policing aspect but having a chance to make connections with all the students. It should be easy to do just that here, as Mr. Wilder enjoys some of the same things that our students do. An avid sports fan, he watches Panthers football and all UNC sports, so I’m sure finding things to chat with students about will be no problem. 

In addition to cultivating a positive relationship with students and faculty, Mr. Wilder will oversee all aspects of school safety here at Rocky Mount Academy, such as updating our crisis plan, going through emergency procedures, providing staff training, leading safety drills, assisting with security for events, and serving as a liaison with local law enforcement agencies as needed. 

He’s especially excited to reconnect with familiar faces like Mr. Tucker (his old football coach!) and several Upper School teachers, including Ms. Baker and Ms. Keel (he was their SRO at Rocky Mount High), as well as Mr. Feagans, with whom he worked for more than 20 years at RMPD. 

Mr. Wilder’s goal is to help make RMA a safe, welcoming place where students can learn and grow, as he believes “what you do now will set your life in motion.” We are excited to have Mr. Wilder join our family as he starts the next chapter of his public service journey.