Principal Spotlight: Kay Sands, Trickum Middle

Call Kay Sands on a weeknight, and you'll potentially catch her on a walk.

Lilburn's Trickum Middle School principal believes general fitness is a key to life, and it's one she urges students toward.

She's no exercise fanatic, but rather, someone who believes general fitness promotes wellness, and importantly, better learning.

"If I could make things happen, that could be ideal," she said of welcoming more physical education in school. "I wish kids could be active every day at school, from kindergarten through 12th grade."

Trickum's fourth-year principal realizes there are practical limitations to PE in the state's largest school district, particularly in Gwinnett County's third-largest middle school of 1,894 students. She'd welcome PE more than the few semesters it's required in middle and high school, but is aware of the budget challenges.

"I know it would be a challenge facility-wise, as well as personnel-wise," the former Five Forks Middle PE teacher said. "To have 1,900 kids in PE for some meaningful time every day — even with the two gyms, workout space and open fields we have — just isn't feasible."

Sands wished more athletic avenues were available to girls prior to graduating from DeKalb's Lakeside High in 1971 and at University of Georgia thereafter. She recalls having PE in only eighth and ninth grades and no real outlet for her athleticism, despite Federal Title IX legislation broadening sports opportunities for girls in the 1970s.

She's never cared for the word "tomboy," but acknowledged it perhaps described her as one of a couple girls often involved in neighborhood pick-up baseball games.

"I was a very athletic child, and in my generation, you had some pretty good [sports] experiences within your neighborhood," she explained. "We would play hours on the vacant lot in our neighborhood. I was kind of a natural tennis player because I had played so much baseball."

Not until college did Sands explore recreational tennis and discover her knack for it. She befriended a teaching professional, and after some league play and local tournaments, even became one herself. A relatively accomplished player, she at one point coached as many as 14 ALTA teams in women's, men's and kids' leagues.

Despite the demands of teaching since 1976, she remains what she calls an "avid fitness participant," who like many Americans, hits the gym a couple times weekly, walks when possible, and attempts to eat sensibly.

Exercise is her stress reliever, and often, her alone time to think.

"I'm often really thankful for being healthy so I can be healthy," she said. "Some of my best thinking about Trickum, or life in general, is done when I'm doing that physical activity."

Basically, Sands advocates for students what she always has for husband Steve and adult sons Bart, Ben and Matt: eat smart, keep moving, and maintain balance between work and recreation. She applauds Gwinnett's dietetic policies and cafeteria food choices, including its policy that kids select an entree and two sides at lunch. She's not outspoken against vending machines, but applauds water being the most available beverage.

As for athletics, Sands wishes all the choices available now were offered long ago, when she felt school in general lacked energy. In her 10th year at Trickum, she's proud of its cheerleading and step teams, its wrestling and running clubs, and how its boys and girls basketball squads routinely contend for county championships. She and her staff urge students to support athletics at nearby Parkview, whose renowned programs include four state football championships, four baseball titles and four wrestling crowns.

"Athletics are a fantastic contribution to the community and bring school into the community," she said.

And Sands is equally proud of Trickum's academic teams, whose success in national and world competitions she considers equally reliant on exercise and diet.

"Kids need to be physically active, and research shows they perform better when they are," she said. "I'm as passionate about the musician and the academic student having their outlets as I am anyone else."