One local school principal will have his schedule full with the opportunity to make a step toward the future of Georgia’s education.

Middle Ridge Elementary School Principal Michael Forehand was selected to participate in the 2014-2016 Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) Principal and Teacher Leadership Network, joining a group of 40 principals from across the state identified as “future-oriented” with a desire to make a lasting difference in public education in Georgia.
“I am proud of the accomplishments of the Middle Ridge Elementary School team,” said Newton County School System (NCSS) Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey. “Dr. Forehand will be accompanied by three teachers, and together they will use all that they learn to continue to improve students’ achievement at Middle Ridge.”

During the program, Forehand and the three Middle Ridge teachers will focus on creating an engagement-focused school that nurtures “profound learning for students and staff.” Each session will offer collegial discussion, exploration of pertinent topics and opportunities for principals to gain insight about organization and their leaders in varied settings.

All costs of the program are paid by PAGE.

“I am honored and humbled to be one of 40 principals selected in the state,” Forehand said. “PAGE’s professional learning department is incredible, and they spare no expense to provide national renowned speakers, research and authors for their professional learning network. I am so excited to share this experience with our teachers. They no doubt deserve this opportunity to be recognized for the work they do each day. At Middle Ridge, we continue to see statistically significant gains in students achievement each year, and it is the teachers who inspire and engage our students, across the board, day after day. We look forward to sharing our learning with our colleagues in the best school system in Georgia.

“As a life-long learner, I hope to build connections with leaders across the state of Georgia and learn strategies they are using to improve student achievement and increase student engagement. Additionally, I’m excited to share this experience with three of our teachers. This is an opportunity for our teachers to become leaders in the field of education and to network with other exemplary educators experiencing the same challenges. Our teachers work extremely hard, and they deserve this recognition and opportunity for leadership development. Education is a team effort, and we are excited to share the progressive strategies we are using in Newton County to engage our students as 21st century learners.”