In July, the Thomas County School Board approved administrative personnel changes for the new school year upon the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.
Brecca Pope has been named Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services. In her new role, she will continue to support the district with a primary focus on human resources.
Pope has worked with the Thomas County School System since 1999. She served in Thomas County as a Speech Language Pathologist at Cross Creek, as assistant principal at Hand-In-Hand Primary School, and as assistant principal at Cross Creek before joining the district office administrative team. Pope is currently working on her doctorate degree in educational leadership.
"Working for Thomas County Schools has always been an honor,” Pope said. “It is home, and I look forward to serving in this new capacity."
Named Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and MTSS, Carol Sprague will continue in her role at the district level by overseeing the Exceptional Student Department and coordinating services for students in the multi-tiered system of support.
Sprague has worked for the Thomas County School System for 18 years. Before coming to the board of education, she worked as the MTSS coordinator for Thomas County Schools, an inclusion and resource teacher, and the literacy coach for Cross Creek Elementary School.
Joining Sprague in the Exceptional Student Department is Amy Connelly who will serve as special education coordinator. Connelly has worked for Thomas County Schools for 21 years as a Speech and Language Pathologist giving her the opportunity to develop, revise, monitor and evaluate instructional support to provide students with access to the general education curriculum.
Connelly will assist Sprague with testing, reporting, meeting state/federal guidelines and serving as the LEA representative in IEP meetings.
Chris Huckans, who served as principal of Bishop Hall Charter School for seven years, has been named Director of Student Services. Prior to serving as principal, he taught in the school system for 14 years.
As director he will work alongside the student enrollment, transportation, school nurse, and school counseling teams as well as working to support the families and students of Thomas County. Huckans replaces Scott James who retired in May.
Huckans said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed my last seven years at Bishop Hall, and I look forward to working with students and families across the district in my new role.”
Dr. Verna Jackson Wiggins was promoted to principal of Bishop Hall after serving seven years as the assistant principal. Prior to serving as AP she was the guidance counselor. Dr. Wiggins has worked for Thomas County Schools for 22 years and worked six years at Douglass Elementary as a kindergarten teacher prior to joining the school system. Her prior work experiences involved teaching GED courses and a mental health professional for seven years with Georgia Pines in Pelham, Georgia.
Dr. Wiggins said, “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that life’s most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?' Therefore, making a difference in the lives of others every day, especially my students, has always been my mission in education.”
Michele Dechman will step into the role of assistant principal for Bishop Hall, Darrell Brinkley has been named instructional coordinator and Regina Beasley, blended learning coordinator.
Fannetta Powell was named assistant principal at Thomas County Middle School. She serves as the administrator for the seventh grade and works on curriculum.
Powell’s entire career as an educator has been with the Thomas County School System. She has worked as a sixth and eighth grade mathematics teacher at Thomas County Middle School since 2004. Before entering her career as an educator, Powell worked for nine years as a Child Abuse Investigator for the Thomas County Department of Family and Children Services.
"The Thomas County School System is home to me, and I am excited about growing in my career within such a supportive environment,” Powell said. “I have a passion for inspiring, motivating, and unlocking the powers of student's minds. Being a teacher allowed me to touch so many lives, but as an administrator, I hope to make a difference in the lives of many more young people."
In announcing administrative appointments for the new school year, Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams commented, “I am looking forward to working with these dynamic leaders in their new roles, and I am excited about the amazing opportunities and possibilities that this year will bring.”