Friday, June 28, 2002

Board of Education approves personnel appointments

The Fulton County Board of Education approved several personnel appointments at its June 13 legislative meeting, including new principals for two schools.

Douglas Brown, assistant principal at Barnwell Elementary School, was named the school's principal. He replaces Betty Savander, who passed away in May after battling a long illness.

Prior to his arrival at Barnwell, Brown was a music teacher at Holcomb Bridge Middle School and a technology specialist at Ridgeview Middle School. He came to Barnwell in 1997 as an assistant principal and served as interim principal during Dr. Savander's medical leave.

Karen Cox, the school system's coordinator for Continuous Improvement, was named principal of Ridgeview Middle School. She replaces Barbara McGuire, who is moving to the school system's Staff Development department. Cox began her career in Fulton County in 1981 as a health and physical education teacher at Westlake High School and remained there until 1989 when she was named a consultant for the school system's Health and Drug-Free Schools program.

In 1992, she became the system's coordinator of health and physical education, and in 2000 she was named coordinator for Continuous Improvement.

The Board of Education also approved the hiring of Cephus Jackson, formerly of the Houston, Texas Independent School District, as executive director of Student Services. He replaces Benny Harris, who retired this month.

In his previous position as executive director in Texas, Jackson directed the school district's alternative education programs. He has been an elementary school principal in Gulfport, Miss., and an assistant principal in Picayune, Miss., and also has worked as a consultant specializing in staff development for schools converting to block schedules.

Dee Taylor also joins the Fulton County administrative staff as an executive director of staff development. She previously was the coordinator of assessment and accountability for the DeKalb County School System and has worked as a language arts/reading curriculum designer, secondary English curriculum coordinator, and a reading consultant/specialist.

She also has taught undergraduate and graduate courses for various local colleges, including the State University of West Georgia, Brenau University, and Clark-Atlanta University.