Full Circle: Heard leads at the school that shaped him

Sandy Creek High math teacher and multi-sport coach Bo Heard is an alum who is a Patriot for all seasons.

Heard, the school’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, grew up in Fayette County Public Schools, going to Tyrone Elementary, Flat Rock Middle, and Sandy Creek. In addition to teaching math, he is the head boys and girls varsity soccer coach and an assistant coach for the football team.

As a Patriot student, he was a piece of the school’s first two state football championships his junior and senior years. Now as a coach, he has been on staff for their fourth and fifth titles. In between, he has proudly seen his school excel in a wide range of sports, fine arts, and academics.

“Sandy Creek is a special place, and it’s not even just in football,” he said. “Sandy Creek’s legacy is winning, and it’s awesome just to be a part of continuing that winning tradition.”

In addition to sports, Heard was also a member of all-state chorus. He appreciates that Sandy Creek has always pushed well-rounded students. Just on this year’s football team, they had several players who are also in the chorus and band programs. They had 7 players post all A’s for the fall semester with many more on the A/B honor roll.

“It’s really cool how Sandy Creek encourages students to try everything,” he said. “It encourages a lot of kids to cross that line.”

It was in high school where he saw his career path come into form. On the football field, he felt the impact his coaches had on him, and he wanted to pay that forward.

“It was just a bunch of coaches that were passionate, that cared about it, cared about kids,” Heard said. “I saw when you have a good coach how much that can do for a young athlete.”

He also found a calling by sharpening his own math skills, then tutoring his teammates.

“I found that I was really good at explaining concepts to those that struggle with math.”

Helping students find their way with tricky problems is still his favorite part of the job.

“My favorite kids to teach are the ones that hate math or struggle with math. Those are my favorite to teach because really it’s just getting over that hurdle of the negative stigma that surrounds math,” he said. “Seeing that click, seeing that connection, is always a fun, magical thing to see.”

Heard loves the school that shaped him, and he aims to make it just as memorable for his students.

“Sandy Creek had a giant impact on me, and I want to be able to pass that to the next generation. I want Sandy Creek to be as special to every student here as it was to me.”

“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.

Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2200811.