The Coweta County Board of Education has approved new administrative positions for the 2018-19 school year, including new principals for four Coweta County elementary schools.

Ben Tarleton has been named as the new principal of Atkinson Elementary School.  Tarleton will take the place of Principal Latrina Gates, who will become the school system’s Title I and Pre-K Coordinator.

Tarleton is an 18-year educator who began his career at Newnan High School in 2000 as a social studies teacher, and who also taught social studies at Valdosta High School.  He has served as an assistant principal at Evans Middle School since 2010.  Tarleton earned his Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education from the University of West Georgia, and his Master’s and Specialist’s degrees in Education Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Jillian Andrew has been named as the new principal of Brooks Elementary School.  Andrew will take the place of Principal Amy Harrison, following her retirement this year.

Andrew is a 15-year educator who began her career at Palmer Trinity school in Miami Florida in 2003, teaching social studies. She moved in 2008 to Smokey Road Middle School, teaching social studies, and has served since 2015 as Brooks Elementary School’s assistant principal. Andrew earned her Bachelor’s degree in English Education from Florida State University, her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from LaGrange College, and her Specialist’s degree in Education Leadership from the University of West Georgia.

Yovandra Curtis has been named as the new principal of Glanton Elementary School.  Curtis will take the place of Principal Lisa Skinner, following her retirement this year.

Curtis is a 21-year educator who began her career as a 2nd Grade teacher at Balmoral Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1997.  She moved to East Coweta Middle School in 2006, teaching 8th Grade science, and since 2009 has served as East Coweta Middle’s assistant principal.  Curtis earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and her Master’s degree in Education Leadership from the University of Memphis.

Jennifer Whetstone has been named as the new principal of Willis Road Elementary School.  Whetstone will take the place of Principal Charles Smith, following his retirement this year.

Whetstone is a 22-year educator who began her career as a 6th Grade teacher at East Coweta Middle School, and also taught 7th Grade at East Coweta and at Evans Middle School summer school.  She moved in 2004 to Willis Road as a 5th Grade teacher, and in 2013 became the assistant principal at Thomas Crossroads Elementary School, where she has served since that time.  Curtis earned her Bachelor’s degree in English from West Georgia College, Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of Scranton, and her Specialist’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Nova Southeastern University.
 
All other principal positions in Coweta County School’s remain unchanged in the 2018-19 school year, though other new administrative postings will change in the new school year.

Latrina Gates will move from Atkinson Elementary School to become the Coordinator for Coweta’s Pre-Kindergarten and Title I programs, following the retirement of former coordinator Lisa Copeland.  Dr. Lisa Quick will move from her position as Arbor Springs Elementary School psychologist to become the school system’s new Lead Psychologist, following the retirement of Dr. Maria Carroll.  Michelle Clark will move from Madras Middle School, where she teaches 8th Grade math, to become the school system’s Content Specialist for Math, following the retirement of Lynn Skinner.  Phillip Sykes will also move from Madras Middle School, where he currently teaches 8th Grade social studies, to become the system’s new Content Specialist for Social Studies.

A number of new assistant principal postings will also take effect in the new school year, following retirements or personnel moves to new positions.  These include Demetrius Swindle at Brooks Elementary School, Melinda Walden at Ruth Hill Elementary, Cheryl McChargue at Thomas Crossroads Elementary, Priscilla Lee at East Coweta Middle, Gamal Kemp at Evans Middle, Melvinette Bryant at Newnan High School, and Jacqueline Jones at Northgate High School.