Assistant Principal

 

 

samuel.garcia@clayton.k12.ga.us

Samuel Garcia is a proud bilingual educator and first-generation American. He began his journey in education in 2013 as a substitute teacher in California. In 2014, he joined Teach For America and relocated to Las Vegas, where he taught small-group English for students with learning disabilities at Sedway Middle School — and met his future wife, also a TFA alum. That experience taught him more about grit, grace, and growth than any textbook ever could.

 

After two years in Nevada, Mr. Garcia returned to California to teach at KIPP Empower Academy, a public charter elementary school in South Los Angeles. He later moved to Georgia and joined Forest Park High School in 2017, where he taught resource room English Language Arts and was honored as the 2022–2023 Teacher of the Year.

 

Mr. Garcia draws deep inspiration from his parents’ story — especially that of his mother, whose perseverance in the face of poverty and limited formal education instilled in him the values of resilience, opportunity, and service. He carries those lessons with him into every classroom and school community he serves.

 

Outside of work, Mr. Garcia enjoys DIY projects, woodworking, and staying active while chasing after his one-year-old son, Leon.