He started as a student in Rockingham County Schools and now, Eric Baylor is stepping up as an administrator in the district.

Baylor will become the first principal at East Rockingham High School. He has worked in the district for 18 years and is currently the assistant principal at Turner Ashby High School.

Tuesday night, the Baylor family wore the ERHS colors, black and red.

Baylor says the work building a school from the ground up begins first thing Wednesday morning.

"I'll be responsible at first for ordering of equipment from band instruments to sports equipment, to chairs for the classroom," says Baylor. "So it's a daunting task, but it's a task that I think is just something you rise to the occasion for."

ERHS will be the district's fourth high school. It will open in the fall of 2010.

"I want to lead from the front," says Baylor of his leadership style. "I'm looking forward to hiring a group of folks that are going to be a top notch faculty and a top notch staff and that starts tomorrow."