Kennesaw Mayor Appointed To GA Professional Standards Commission

KENNESAW, GA — Kennesaw Mayor C. Derek Easterling has been named to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp held swearing-in ceremonies for nine appointments to various boards and commissions on July 12.

Easterling was appointed to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. It establishes guidelines and oversees the preparation, certification, professional conduct, and recruitment support of certified personnel employed in Georgia schools.

Georgia Professional Standards Commission responsibilities include:

• To simplify and make more efficient the process of certifying educational personnel in Georgia
• To attract the highest possible number of qualified personnel to become educators in Georgia
• To promote the hiring of qualified educators from other states to work in Georgia schools
• To improve the level of preparation of educators, both pre-service and in-service, by requiring for purposes of certification those essential skills and the knowledge needed to deliver effective education
• To adopt standards of professional performance and a code of professional ethics for educators, both of which shall represent standards of performance and conduct, which are generally accepted by educators of this state
• To investigate reports of specified criminal conduct, violations of professional or ethical codes of conduct, and violations of certain rules, regulations, and policies by school system educators
• To enforce the requirement that local school systems promptly report specified criminal conduct of school system educators to the commission
• To impose disciplinary action or a denial of a certificate against an educator

Easterling is Mayor for the City of Kennesaw as well as a teacher at Awtrey Middle School in Cobb County. He earned an M.Ed in secondary education and a B.S. degree in Sports Management from Grand Canyon University.

Easterling is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1980 and served as a submariner, where he rapidly advanced his career. In 1990, he was selected for the Naval Officer Indoctrination Course. He attained the rank of Lieutenant and completed his service through an early retirement option in 1996. His decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and the Navy Achievement Medal.

In 2003, Easterling completed law enforcement officer training and joined the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff where he served until 2010. He relocated to Tampa in 2010 to care for an aging parent where he accepted a position as a Hillsborough County School District Field Inspector. In 2012, he returned to Georgia and was employed as a Security Supervisor for Kennestone WellStar Hospital until April 2015.

Easterling is in his first term as Mayor of Kennesaw; he began his service in January 2016 with a term ending in December.

Civic and community involvement is very important to Easterling. He is active in school system support activities and is finishing his second year as a teacher at Awtrey Middle School. He has coached baseball for the Kennesaw Baseball Association and spends time helping families with special needs children.

Easterling holds a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and a Master of Education Secondary Education in History.

He and his wife, Dawn, live in Kennesaw and have been married for 13 years.