>> EDUCATION
Corey Goble, a veteran law enforcement officer, has been appointed as the first school safety and security director of the Baldwin County School District.
Goble grew up in Calhoun and graduated from Calhoun High School. His dream to pursue law enforcement was family oriented as his great grandfather and his uncle were in the field. After high school, he attended Georgia College and earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration.
“I’ve always been naturally curious about law enforcement,” said Goble. “I always had a sense of justice, and my family may have laid the foundation, but my desire to help people is what truly led me.”
Goble has worked in law enforcement since 1998. He began his career at the Jones County Sheriff’s Office and later transitioned to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked until 2011.
“Sheriff Masse had a lot of influence over me when I worked in Baldwin County and after. I wanted to be as good as a deputy I could be for him and this community,” said Goble. “The same sentiment is shared for Sheriff Reece in Jones County. They both made me want to be a better person and I am thankful for their influence over me.”
After leaving Baldwin County, Goble began his educational background as chief investigator and safety and security manager for the Bibb County School System.
“Over the last seven years I worked in Bibb County and that position opened a door that I did not know was there. Getting acclimated to the education world was difficult but I enjoyed seeing a different perspective than I was used to,” said Goble.
According to Goble, there was not an exact reason to why he transitioned to the educational side of law enforcement, but it felt right at the time. Working in Bibb County allowed him to learn more about emergency management and limiting school crises. Through his experience there, he discovered a talent for educational administration that led him to get a Master of Science degree in emergency services management - risk management from Columbia Southern University.
“After my masters, I put my experience into working with the National School Safety Center, one of the largest nonprofit organizations that helps to assess schools all over the country,” said Goble.
Goble became involved with major projects, including seeing what other school systems are doing from a safety and risk management perspective, working on litigation and even becoming a contributing author to the guide, Seven Important Building Design Features to Enhance School Safety and Security, developed for the Indiana Department of Education by Safe Havens.
“Law enforcement and education are two different worlds; however, working in both I was able to get a well-rounded perspective that allows me to look into this new position in a different way than an educational administrator might,” said Goble. “My experience allows a route for both myself and others in the school system to learn from one another, which allows everyone to significantly support each other.”
Goble initially heard about the Baldwin school safety and security director position on the news from Baldwin County Superintendent Dr. Noris Price. He explained that he saw this as an opportunity to return to Baldwin County and support the Baldwin community that he loves.
“I felt my experience in Bibb County paired with my extensive experience in law enforcement and the connection I had to Baldwin County would help with the transition into this new position,” said Goble. “There’s always a new starting point when transitioning someone into a position and additionally this position is starting a new foundation as well. Having someone familiar with the community, the school system and more should help make all the transitions and learning go smoother.”
In his new position, Goble will be in charge of managing, implementing and discovering everything related to safety and security within the school district. According to Goble, Baldwin County is already well-founded in its security methods.
“Baldwin County has a strong framework in place for me to build upon,” said Goble. “I do not see myself as a change agent and rather would like to reinforce and build on what is founded.”
Moving forward, Goble is putting a priority on learning the ins and outs of the Baldwin County School District. He recognizes that every school district is different and ensuring the safety of the students and faculty is his ultimate goal.
“I am happy to be back in Baldwin County and am ready to learn and fulfill my duties in this position so everyone is safe at the end of each school day,” said Goble.