The Thomas County School Board has approved administrative personnel changes for the 2019-2020 school year upon the recommendation of Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams.
Richard Potter has been named principal of the Renaissance Center for Academic and Career Development. The Renaissance Center is Thomas County’s alternative school, serving students in grades 5-12 whose home schools are Thomas County Middle School, Thomas County Central High School, or Bishop Hall Charter School.
Potter has worked in the Thomas County School System since 1992 serving as a teacher, coach, and assistant principal. Most recently, Potter has served as assistant principal at Garrison-Pilcher. Potter said, “Our goal at The Renaissance Center is to see that our students achieve their behavioral and academic goals so that they may return to their respective home school. Our staff is dedicated to helping students sustain and maintain that focus through individual counseling, instruction, and behavior modification. I am very excited about having the opportunity to assist students in their academic success along with helping them reach their goal of graduation.”
Clay Stanaland who has served as principal at Cross Creek Elementary School and Jamie Thompson who has served as principal at Thomas County Middle School will exchange roles for the coming year. This change is intended to give both leaders administrative experience at a different instructional level and to build future leadership capacity.
Thompson has served in the Thomas County School System since 2003 as a high school English teacher, as a counselor, assistant principal, and principal. He has been principal of Thomas County Middle School since 2016. Thompson enjoyed his tenure as counselor at Hand-in-Hand Primary School and has desired to return to work at the elementary level.
Cross Creek Elementary serves Thomas County students in third and fourth grades. Thompson commented, “I am excited to apply what I have learned during my tenure at Thomas County Middle School in my opportunity to work with third and fourth grade students, parents, and teachers. Thomas County Schools provides a family atmosphere for the faculty, and I feel confident that we can continue the great work that Mr. Stanaland has been pursuing for the students and parents of Cross Creek. It is an honor to be trusted with a school that has such a rich history of serving our community.”
Stanaland has served the Thomas County School System since 1996 as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal. He was appointed principal of Cross Creek Elementary School in 2004 and has led the school to several state-level academic achievement recognitions for improvement on state test scores. He taught, coached, and served as an assistant principal at the middle school level before being appointed to the principalship at Cross Creek. “I am excited about the opportunity to return to the middle school as principal. Since most of the students at the middle school progressed through Cross Creek while I was principal there, I look forward to seeing many familiar faces,” Stanaland said.
Ashley Lane will be transferring from assistant principal at Cross Creek to assistant principal at Garrison-Pilcher. Lane has served in the Thomas County School system since 2002. Before becoming assistant principal at Cross Creek, most of her career was spent at Garrison-Pilcher where she served as a teacher and instructional technology specialist until 2017 when she was promoted to assistant principal at Cross Creek. “After previously serving various roles during my career in education at Garrison-Pilcher, it is an honor to return as assistant principal. I look forward to working with the staff in a different capacity as we continue to provide outstanding learning opportunities for our students,” Lane said.
Amy Robinson has been appointed to serve as assistant principal at Cross Creek. Robinson joined the Cross Creek faculty in 2018 after having served as assistant principal at Jones Wheat Elementary School in Bainbridge for five years. Before coming to the Thomas County School System, Robinson taught elementary school in the Grady and Decatur County School systems for 16 years. “I could not be more excited to be returning to Cross Creek Elementary as the new assistant principal. It is an honor to be able to serve this community of amazing students, staff, and families. The heart of Thomas County Schools is focused on doing what is best for all students, and I am truly honored to be a part of the team,” Robinson said.
In announcing administrative appointments for the new school year, Superintendent Dr. Lisa Williams commented, “I am looking forward to working with these leaders in their new roles, and I am excited about the possibilities of the upcoming school year.”