At a called meeting Monday morning, the Newton County Board of Education voted unanimously to hire four principals to fill the seats vacated at area high, middle and elementary schools recently.
Alcovy High School principal Dave Easterday retired and in his stead hired Dr. LaQuanda Brown. Brown most recently served as principal of King-Danforth Elementary School in Bibb County.
Brown received a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice from Georgia State University in 1996 and went on to get a Master of Middle Grades Education in 2000 from Mercer University and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Sarasota in 2002. She also earned an educational specialist degree, education administration certificate and a reading certification.
Dr. Robert Daria resigned as principal of Eastside High School to take a position as associate superintendent in Walton County and EHS assistant principal and athletic director Dennis Roddenberry has stepped into the principal’s role.
Roddenberry received a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education from Florida State University in 1976 and a Master of Education in 1986 from Armstrong Atlantic and State University in physical education. He received an associate of arts degree and an educational specialist and educational leadership endorsement as well.
Veterans Memorial Middle School Principal Eric Arena resigned from the school to take a position as Executive Director for School Improvement and Operations for Jones County schools. Dr. James Peek, who most recently served as an assistant principal at Veterans Memorial, will be taking his place.
Peek taught at Eastside High School before heading to VMMS. He was also a Chief Petty Officer in the United States Navy Reserves beginning in 1988. Peek has a Bachelor of Science in history from Georgia College and State University which he earned in 1996, a Masters of Education in administration and supervision from GCSU in 2002 and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from GCSU from 2008.
At Middle Ridge Elementary School, Principal Karen Crowder will be heading to Addison Elementary School in Cobb County to take over as principal there. Alan Satterfield, who most recently held the position of elementary and secondary special education coordinator for the NCSS, will step into that role in the 2009-2010 school year.
Satterfield has also held the position of assistant principal at Indian Creek Middle School and Oak Hill Elementary School.
Additionally, Dr. Carl Skinner who was most recently an assistant principal at Newton High School will step into the role of director of testing, research and evaluation at the central office of the NCSS.
Samantha Fuhrey, the current director of professional learning at the central office of the NCSS will transfer to the director of secondary education at the central office. And Don Wood, who recently retired, has been rehired in a part-time basis as a construction manager at the central office.
