BOE approves administrators and board chairs

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BOE, Administrators,

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – The beginning of 2022 has the Gilmer Board of Education establishing the new year with annual approvals and nominations for board chairs and school administrators renewals.

A typical agenda item for January, the approval of chairs sets the officers for the entire year while administrator renewal  must be approved before they can then submit their own personnel lists for approval.

Official nominations and approvals came for Ronald Watkins as Board Chairman and Doug Pritchett as Board Vice-Chair.

Alongside the approval on January’s personnel changes approved as a whole, administrative renewals were handled individually.

For administrators in the central office for the Board of Education, unanimous approvals came for Lottie Mitchell as Assistant Superintendent overseeing Curriculum, Lindy Patterson as Federal Programs Director & Title IX Coordinator, Jessica Chastain as Student Services Director, Trina Penland as Finance Director, John Call as Technology Director, Patricia Partin as School Nutrition Director, Samantha Amos as Transportation Director, Bob Sosebee as Maintenance Director, and Kim Cagle as Testing Coordinator.

Dana Berry was approved with three yes votes as Assistant Superintendent overseeing Operations. Board members Michael Parks and Joe Pflueger abstained from voting.

As for School Administrators, unanimous approval came for Nicole Pike as Principal of Clear Creek Middle School, Melinda Fonteboa as Principal of Ellijay Elementary School, Stephanie Burnette as Principal of Clear Creek Elementary School, and Charles Walker as Principal of Mountain View Elementary School.

Carla Foley was approved as principal of Gilmer High School with three votes. Board member Michael Parks abstained from voting. Board member Joe Pflueger voted against the approval.

 

Approvals from Board Officers to School Administrators in January’s BOE

Board of Education, News
administrators

EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – January is typically a month of changes and approvals for administrators positions in Gilmer’s BOE and 2021 is no different with two newly elected Board Members casting their first votes looking at school administrators, meeting dates, and other higher level choices preparing them for the second semester of the school year as well as the entirety of their terms on the board.

https://youtu.be/eq4Gxcz6HCI

This month saw a slight change in meetings as the board adjusted next January’s meeting dates to avoid Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Setting those dates a week later just as they were this month. With this minor change the final set meeting schedule for the Board was approved. However, that approval came with another requested change. The board has been meeting at 5:30 p.m. for over a year, but now, a request came to adjust the meetings back to 6 p.m. The BOE has met at 6 p.m. in the past, but adjusted meeting dates annually as board members needed.

This change is no different as Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs said the change was requested “to better accommodate Board Members who commute out of town for work.” Unanimous approval finalized the change and officially set the dates for the coming year.

AdministratorsWith the two newest board members, Joe Pflueger and Michael Parks, officially taking office, the board set about its annual nominations for Chairman and Vice Chairman. Ronald Watkins was nominated, and subsequently approved, as 2021’s Chairman. Doug Pritchett was then nominated and approved as Vice-Chairman.

Alongside their normal Personnel, the board approved each administrator for the district’s schools as well as administrative positions over the schools. According to Downs, approving the administration positions this month will allow those administrators to appoint and recommend staff for approval next month. Unanimous approvals came for the BOE administrations, and 4-0 votes came for the 5 principals of schools with nobody voting against. Board Member Joe Pflueger did abstain from voting on the 5 principals. He later told FYN that he simply abstained because he did not receive some requested evaluation paperwork on those principals. Because of that, he felt he did not have enough information for the vote.

administrators, Paul Standard, Coach

Gilmer Bobcats Football Coach Paul Standard

There was another new position filled prior, but presented just after the Board Meeting. Hosted by the Gilmer Touchdown Club, a small reception was held after the meeting introducing Gilmer’s new Football Coach, Paul Standard.

According to Gilmer Schools, “Coach Standard comes to the Bobcats from St. Pius X in Atlanta, where he has served as head coach for the past 20-years, compiling a 174-72 record. Coach Standard has eight region championships, an eighteen year playoff record, and twelve Top 10 state rankings.”

Coach Standard said, “The kindness, the generosity, and the graciousness of this entire community from the first time that I met with the administration in early January to now has been unbelievable. The Gilmer and Ellijay community have opened their arms up to me and my family and I couldn’t be more excited and thankful.”

Officially approved as a teacher at Gilmer High School this week, Standard is now, formally, a part of the Bobcat Community.

Chamber begins search for new President

Community, News
President, Blossom

ELLIJAY, Ga. – In August, the President and CEO of the Gilmer County Chamber, Paige Hutto, announced her resignation to be with family and her husband in Alabama.

President

Paige Hutto, President/CEO of the Gilmer Chamber

Today, the Chamber has announced they are beginning their search for their new President alongside the Chason Group, a “search firm” based in Georgia. This group has been used by other groups in both Gilmer and neighboring counties searching for officials like Presidents, Managers, and other positions in need of certain qualifications as their website says the perform searches for “Executive Talent.”

They are also currently working with Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, Murray County Industrial Development Authority, and Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce in searches. According to a release from the Chamber, this is the same group that identified Hutto as a candidate when she took the position of President/CEO, and also Alan May before her.

President

Chair of the Board of Directors for the Gilmer Chamber, Chris Wang

According to their statement, the current Chair of the Board of Directors, Chris Wang said, “Our board is taking a very organized and strategic approach to the executive search process for a new president. We want to make sure we identify the most qualified professionals who have the skill sets required to move the chamber and community forward in terms of tourism and business growth. We are open to traditional and nontraditional candidates as long as they have the skills sets required of the position. A lot has changed since Paige came on board and we want to make sure we get it right again, just as the previous search committee did.”

The process is set to take between 100-120 days according to the Chason Group who says phase 1 has already been completed as they have met with stakeholders and interviewed members to see the type of person and the skills that they want to find in their new president. Today, they announced the opening and are accepting resumes until September 18, 2020.

After that, selected candidates will be interviewed and narrowed until the Chamber finally reaches its decision on the candidate to fill the position. With the process completed, all indications point that the Chamber should have its new leader before Christmas.

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