Wednesday, August 7, 2002
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Wednesday, August 7, 2002 |
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Fayette's new and veteran principals ready to get started
Special to The Citizen
Due to the opening of two new schools and retirements, many Fayette County schools will start off the new academic year Aug. 12 with a new principal at the helm. Although the principals are new at their schools, they are no strangers to the school system. Each of them has worked in Fayette for a number of years as a principal, assistant principal and teacher. All of this year's new principals were selected in the spring and started working at their new schools before the end of the 2001-2002 academic year. Jeanie Miller, former principal of Kedron Elementary for five years, will open the doors of Cleveland Elementary, one of two new elementary schools to come online in Fayette this year. Miller has served Fayette's educational system for 12 years starting off as an exceptional children's teacher and then advancing to assistant principal at Braelinn Elementary in 1995. "I am very excited to have the challenge of opening a new school," said Miller. Miller states her number-one goal for Cleveland is to develop a child-centered school where all children are given the opportunity to achieve to their fullest potential in a nurturing environment. She said she also plans to make the school a model for integrating technology throughout the curriculum. As Miller prepares to open Cleveland, her predecessor Karen Bullock is gearing up for her first academic year as the principal of Kedron. Bullock began her career with the school system in 1978 as a fifth-grade teacher at Fayetteville Elementary School before being promoted in 1989 to assistant principal at Peachtree City Elementary. She has also served as assistant principal at Brooks Elementary and most recently Spring Hill Elementary before becoming Kedron's new principal. An active member of the Fayette County Association of Educators, Bullock was named the organization's administrator of the year in 2001. Bullock says her personal goal for Kedron is to provide a warm, friendly, positive caring environment for students, parents and staff in order to facilitate a strong learning-focused school. "I am truly delighted to have returned to Peachtree City once again. All of the students, parents and teachers have been very encouraging and open to my leadership. After four months, I truly feel part of my new school family," said Bullock. Kathy Corley, former principal of Fayetteville Intermediate, will open Fayette's other new elementary school, Sara Harp Minter. Corley, who has been employed with Fayette since 1980, brings 19 years of administrative experience to Minter Elementary. She began her stint with the school system as math teacher at Fayette County Junior High, now Fayette Middle School. She has served as assistant principal at both North Fayette and Huddleston Elementary before becoming principal in 1984 at Oak Grove Elementary and then at Fayetteville Primary and Intermediate Schools in 1997. Last year, the Fayette County Board of Education voted to make Fayetteville Primary and Fayetteville Intermediate separate schools with Corley remaining principal of the intermediate grades. In 2001, Corley was the recipient of the Sixth District Distinguished Principal Award given by the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals. Corley said she and her staff are committed to providing an environment of caring and mutual respect to facilitate the learning of all students. "Our major focus will be on academic success, recognizing that attitude, behavior and social/emotional issues contribute to the ability to perform and learn at our personal best," added Corley. With Corley now at Minter, Kim Herron, former assistant principal of Kedron Elementary, has taken over as principal of Fayetteville Intermediate. She has been employed by the school system for 18 years where she started out as an interrelated resource teacher for grades 7-12 at both J.C. Booth Junior High, now known as a middle school, and McIntosh High School. She also served in the same capacity at Brooks Elementary before assuming a position with the Fayette County Board of Education's central office as a special education diagnostician serving 10 schools. Herron served one year as an interrelated collaborative teacher at Spring Hill Elementary before becoming the school's assistant principal in 1998 and then at Kedron Elementary in 2000. Herron says her goals for Fayetteville Intermediate are to improve student achievement through an united instructional focus and to maintain open lines of communication between the school's staff and parents and also with the staff of neighboring Hood Avenue Primary. "I am very excited about being the principal of Fayetteville Intermediate School. It is a very supportive community one that I have called home for 18 years," said Herron. "I am enjoying working with the Fayetteville Intermediate School community and look forward to building strong relationships with the students, staff, parents and local businesses." This spring two veteran principals retired leaving some large shoes to fill for their predecessors. Dr. Bob Martin, principal of Braelinn Elementary, retired from his position and his assistant principal, Wenonah Bell, was selected as his replacement. Bell began working for Fayette's school system in 1990 as a teacher of exceptional children before becoming assistant principal at Braelinn in 1998. She says her goals for the school are to maintain the extraordinary tradition of excellence that has been established. "Braelinn is an exceptional school with wonderful students, teachers, parents and community support. I am so thrilled and honored to be a part of this school," added Bell. In addition to Martin, Rising Starr Middle School principal Barbara Bakelaar also retired from her position. Now, Len Patton, former assistant principal of Fayette Middle School, will take the reins. Patton began working for the school system in 1982 as a classroom teacher at Fayette Junior High (now Fayette Middle) until 1990 when she was promoted to assistant principal and instructional lead teacher at the school. A native Fayette Countian and a product of the school system, Patton says she is happy to have the opportunity to give something back to the community that has meant so much to her. "I am extremely fortunate to be working as principal at Rising Starr Middle School. In its brief history, Rising Starr has established a tradition of excellence in academic achievement and extracurricular activity," she said. "I am thrilled to begin working with the teachers, students and parents as they strive to continue these traditions while reaching for even higher goals." Although Bonnie Hancock became principal of Oak Grove Elementary in the early fall of last year when former principal Debbie Wheat accepted a position as the school system's reading coordinator, this will mark her first full year at the school's helm. Hancock has been employed with Fayette's school system since 1991 when she began as a special education teacher. During her years as a teacher, she worked at Robert J. Burch, Huddleston and Spring Hill Elementary schools. In 1996 she became the assistant principal of Peachtree City Elementary and remained at the school until she was selected to replace Wheat at Oak Grove a few months after the start of school last year. Hancock says her goals for Oak Grove are to help the school reach its maximum potential in all areas including academically, community involvement and in preparing students for the future. "I have enjoyed becoming a part of the Oak Grove family. The parents, students and staff have welcomed me and made me feel right at home. This is a great school and I value its spirit of togetherness," Hancock said.
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