New Cherokee Principals, Leaders Appointed For 2020-21

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA — The Cherokee County School Board on Thursday approved the appointments of new principals and other leaders for next school year.

The openings were prompted by the announcement that several longtime school and district leaders will retire at the end of the school year including Beth Long, who serves as the Office of School Operations’ executive director of administrative leadership for elementary schools; Freedom Middle School Principal Sheila Grimes, Carmel Elementary School Principal Paula White, and Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy Principal Donna Bertram.

All four retiring leaders were recognized by Superintendent of Schools Brian Hightower during the meeting for their service to the students of Cherokee County.

“Education has been a lifelong calling for these outstanding leaders,” Hightower said. “They have served our students, their colleagues and, as administrators, their employees well. We are deeply grateful for their excellent service and wish them all the best in this next chapter.”

Long joined Cherokee Schools in 1994 and served as a teacher, assistant principal and principal, including at Canton Elementary School STEM Academy, where she earned the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals' School Bell Award and statewide recognition for its STEM program.

After teaching in several other states, Grimes joined Cherokee Schools in 2002 as a teacher and then served in the district’s special education department. She advanced to administration as an assistant principal at Cherokee High School, and began her tenure as Freedom’s leader in 2013.

Bertram, who began her career with the district in 1985, served as a teacher – earning a Teacher of the Year title at Ball Ground Elementary School; assistant principal and principal, with her last four years in that role at Holly Springs Elementary STEM Academy.

White joined Cherokee Schools from Henry County in 2014 as principal at Carmel Elementary School, where she has led the school to statewide honors for “Beating the Odds” through academic improvement.

Following the School Board’s approval of his recommended administrative appointments, Hightower introduced them to the audience and shared brief career highlights. Prior to the meeting, the school board spent time getting to know them at the annual Cherokee Schools New Leaders Reception held in the administration building’s lobby and sponsored by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

“Each of these leaders is exceptional,” he said, “and we know they are the best fit for their new roles to keep us on track for continuous improvement in service to our students.”

River Ridge High School Kerry Martin was appointed Thursday night to fill the role of executive director of administrative leadership for elementary schools. In this position, she will oversee elementary school principals and all operations at elementary schools.

Martin has served with the district for more than 30 years; she began her career as a high school and middle school teacher, earning the Teacher of the Year title at Woodstock High School; worked as a special education facilitator for all grade levels; and advanced to assistant principal roles at the elementary school level. She led Arnold Mill Elementary School as its principal for four years, then Mill Creek Middle School as principal for three years, where she was named the region’s Outstanding Middle School Principal of the Year, and has served as principal of River Ridge High School for the past two years.

As a result of Martin’s appointment, Cherokee High School Principal Todd Miller will take on the Principal role at River Ridge High School. Hasty Elementary School Fine Arts Academy Principal Rodney Larrotta, who most recently previously served as assistant principal at Cherokee High, now will lead Cherokee High as its next principal.

A 24-year educator and former assistant principal at Hasty Elementary for six years, Maria Rosario-Regan, who currently serves as a Title I administrator in the Office of Curriculum & Instruction, will advance to serve as principal at Hasty.

Benjamin Lester was appointed Thursday to serve as the administrator for student services, a role in the Office of School Operations that supports school counselors, social workers and nurses. He has served as a teacher and assistant principal in district middle and high schools, and as a professor for Kennesaw State University and University of Miami. The position has been left unfilled since the passing late last year of counselor and administrator Rouel Belleza.

Katherine Monti, an assistant principal at E.T. Booth Middle School and this year’s Georgia Middle School Assistant Principal of the Year, will serve as the next principal of Teasley Middle School. A 25-year educator, Monti began her career as a middle school teacher and was named a finalist for Georgia Teacher of the Year in 2010 before joining the State Department of Education staff for two years until her 2013 appointment to her current role.

Hickory Flat Elementary School Principal Whitney Nolan, who has experience in middle school education including as assistant principal at Dean Rusk Middle School and Woodstock Middle School, will take on the Principal role at Freedom Middle School. Kerry Estep, an assistant principal at Hickory Flat Elementary School, will advance to serve as its principal. An 18-year educator, Estep began her career as an elementary school teacher and then special education facilitator prior to her appointment three years ago to her current role.

Free Home Elementary School Principal Kimberly Hagood will move to Carmel Elementary School, where she previously served as an assistant principal, to lead as its principal. Julie Peppers, currently an assistant principal at Sixes Elementary School, will serve as the next Principal for Free Home Elementary School. A 14-year educator, Peppers began her career with the district as an elementary school teacher, advancing in 2016 to an assistant principal post at Carmel Elementary School and in 2018 to the same role at Sixes Elementary School.

Avery Elementary School Assistant Principal Amanda Schoeniger was appointed Thursday to serve as Holly Springs Elementary School STEM Academy’s next principal. A 16-year educator, Schoeniger previously has served in Cherokee Schools as a teacher and special education facilitator, and as a teacher and assistant principal in Marietta.

Tonya Sebring, a 25-year educator, coach and administrator whose past roles include assistant principal/athletic director for Woodstock High School, will serve as supervisor of student activities and athletics in the Office of School Operations. She is renowned in the high school athletics community as a State champion softball team coach, State Athletic Director of the Year, Georgia Dugout Hall of Fame member and GHSA Excellence for Sportsmanship, Ethics and Integrity Award winner.

Melissa Whatley, who began her career with the district 25 years ago and currently serves as the Office of Human Resources’ coordinator for HR services, will advance to lead its benefits and risk management department as director. Greg Mason, who has worked for the Office of Support Services for more than 30 years and currently serves as a zone foreman, has been appointed its coordinator of facilities maintenance. These two promotions take effect this month, as the positions already have been vacated.