Retired Newton County principal Vic Lee will step in to temporarily fill the shoes vacated at Alcovy High School, while current principal LaQuanda Carpenter is on maternity leave.

Lee retired in June from Liberty Middle School. Prior to his position there, he held many in the Newton County School System since his hiring in 2002, including assistant principal at Newton High School and at Sharp Learning Center. He has been in education for 37 years - 18 of that in teaching, 19 in administrative positions.

Carpenter, who is pregnant with her second child, began her leave on Nov. 9. According to NCSO Superintendent Gary Mathews, Lee is expected to remain at AHS as acting principal for two to three months.

"He was an obvious choice as he stood as one of our county's most successful principals while employed here," said Mathews in an email. "We're delighted that he agreed to serve while Dr. Carpenter is out on maternity leave."