Memorandum from Mary Kay Murphy
Mary Kay Murphy, Ph.D. District 3  School Board Member marykaymurphy@aol.com

May 12, 2006

   Principals serve as the instructional leaders of local public schools in Gwinnett County. District III, the geographic area that includes seventeen public schools in the Duluth Cluster, in the Norcross Cluster, and two schools in the Peachtree Ridge Cluster, will say “good-bye” and “great thanks” to several principals, as well as to welcoming new leaders in their schools and into our community.

   The following schools in District III have announced new principals for the 2006-07 academic year, effective July 1, 2006:

1. Peachtree Elementary School. Principal Kathy Eichler, dean of the principals in the Norcross Cluster, will leave the school after nine years as its leader. Mrs. Eichler and her husband are moving to Seneca, South Carolina, where she will become principal of an elementary school in the community.
Gwin Oaks Elementary School Principal Jean Loethen-Payne will become the new Principal of Peachtree Elementary School as of July 1, 2006. The Norcross Cluster welcomes Mr. Loethen-Payne and we look forward to her leadership of Peachtree Elementary School.

2. Stripling Elementary School . Principal Donna Ledford , long-time leader in the Norcross Cluster, leaves her position at Stripling Elementary School to assume the role of Principal of Head Elementary School. Mrs. Ledford previously was Assistant Principal at Beaver Ridge Elementary School. serving at the new Principal will be Mr. Clay Hunter , who is currently an Assistant Principal at McConnell Middle School.

3. Duluth Middle School. Long-time Principal Dr. Kay Harvey will retire at the end of the academic year, while Ms. Deborah Fusi , former teacher and Assistant Principal at Duluth Middle School and at Richard Middle School, will become Principal for the new academic year. Dr. Harvey will remain in the Gwinnett County area during the next year, while visiting her family’s home in Biloxi, Mississippi. 

4. Hull Middle School. Principal Dr. Gwen Tatum , former Assistant Principal of Norcross High School, will become Principal of Shiloh High School, while Assistant Principal at Lilburn Middle School, Denise Schowell, will become Principal of Hull Middle School in July.

Our community applauds the leadership of Mr. J. Alvin Wilbanks , CEO and Superintendent, and Dr. Frances Davis , Director of the Office of Human Resources, for the seamless pipeline they have developed to provide leaders to fill principal vacancies when they occur in our local elementary, middle, and high schools.

Celebrating the end of her successful first year as Principal of Pinckneyville Middle School in the Norcross Cluster is Nancy Martin . Principal Martin came to District III from Five Forks Middle School where she was Principal for more than five years. 

Principal Dana Pugh has completed his second successful year as Principal of Summerour Middle School, having come from Hull Middle School where he was Assistant Principal. 

Principal Pat Blenke of Duluth High School and Principal Mary Anne Charron of Norcross High School have reason to celebrate significant achievements at their schools. Newsweek Magazine ranked Duluth High School as 547 in its list of the 1000 Top Schools in the nation, based on Advanced Placement and other measures. Duluth High School ranked the highest among the 15 other Gwinnett County high schools in the Newsweek rankings. 

Based on its Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs, Norcross High School ranked at 616 in the Newsweek poll, moving from 697 last year to 616 this year, among the nation’s Top 1000 High Schools.

As the academic year nears its conclusion, we thank those principals, faculty, and staff members who so successfully served our District III students. To those who will be retiring at the end of the year, we send special thanks for your commitment to the students in our community and for your leadership in working to strengthen public education as the first option of choice.

To those who principals, faculty, and staff who are returning to our schools in 2006-07, we celebrate your achievements and leadership, and we thank you for continuation of your long-standing commitment to public education in Gwinnett County:

1. Esther Adames-Heminez , Principal, Beaver Ridge Elementary School;
2. Nancy Hammond, Principal, Beaver Ridge Elementary School;
3. Leigh Westcott , Principal, Berkeley Lake Elementary School;
4. Dr. Jim Kars , Principal, Buchanan School of Technology;
5. Cynthia Burgess , Principal, Chattahoochee Elementary School; 
6. Carlotta Rozzi , Principal, Chesney Elementary School;
7. Barbara Martin , Principal, Monarch School;
8. Dr. LaVerne Watkins , Principal, Norcross Elementary School;
9. Bron Gayna Schmit , Principal, Simpson Elementary School.

On behalf of appreciative community members in Peachtree Corners, Norcross, Duluth, and Berkeley Lake, we thank our local school principals for their leadership of the instructional programs in our local schools. 

As the District III School Board member, I am proud to participate with our principals and with our community to advance the benefits of public education to all.

051206

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