Elaine W. Womack, Coordinator of Publications
706-638-7953
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The Walker County Board of Education and Superintendent Melissa Mathis announce the following personnel changes for next year.  "I feel each person is exceptional in their unique qualifications for the positions they have been selected to fill, and we are confident they will build the environments for learning that will lead Walker County students to an even brighter future," said Mathis.

Brandon Mosgrove, Assistant Principal at the LaFayette Middle School Sixth Grade Academy, is transferring to Stone Creek Elementary as Principal.  Mosgrove began his career in 2000 at the Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts and moved to Chattanooga Valley Elementary in 2001 as the Math Lab Instructor.  He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership K-12 from Capella University. 

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Amy Ashley will also join the staff at Stone Creek as Assistant Principal and Academic Coach.  Ashley has participated in the Elementary Math Institute, Guided Reading and Writing, Learning Focused Schools and Learning Resources for Math training.  Her accomplishments include designing Math Instructional Strategy for the district and creating the first Math Bowl Team at CVE.  Ashley holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a Master's Degree in Elementary Reading from Walden University and an Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.

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Scott Sizemore will be the new Assistant Principal at the LaFayette Middle School Sixth Grade Academy next year.  Sizemore has taught fifth through eighth grade Math and sixth grade Science and Social Studies as well as Computer Applications and Programming, Health and Physical Education.  Currently Athletic Director at Gordon Lee Middle School, he has coached six sports, taking softball, basketball and track to NGAC championships.  Sizemore received his B.A. in Early Childhood Education at the State University of West Georgia and both his Master's Degree and Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

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Kevin Richardson, Principal at Rossville Elementary, will transition to Transportation Supervisor in September.  Richardson has taught seventh and eighth grade Science and Social Studies and has coached baseball and football.  Since moving to LaFayette Middle in 1998 as Assistant Principal, he has been principal at both LaFayette Middle and Rossville Elementary.  Richardson graduated from LaFayette High School, holds a B.S. in Secondary Science Education from Georgia Southern University and received a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership from the State University of West Georgia.

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Robin Guinn Samples will be the new Principal at Rossville Elementary.  Samples has been an AP at Rossville Elementary since 2005 where she was also an Academic Coach, an EIP teacher and a fifth grade teacher.  She began her career in Walker County Schools in January of 1999 teaching sixth grade at LaFayette Middle.  Samples earned a B.A. in Multidisciplinary School Learning concentrating on pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, an M.A. in Education K-12 from Tusculum College and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

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Chris Sikes, Principal of the Walker County Alternative Education Center, will join Samples at Rossville Elementary as the Assistant Principal.  During his twenty-six years in education, Sikes taught Math at Tyner High and Social Studies at Ridgeland.  He also coached football and wrestling before becoming the Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Ridgeland.  Sikes received his B.S. in History Education at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, his M.A. in History Education at The University of Alabama and an Ed.S. in Leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

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Gary Record, current Principal of the Year for Hamilton County Schools, will be joining the staff at Ridgeland as Assistant Principal for the Ninth Grade Academy.  An educator for twenty-five years, Record has taught and served as Director of Student Activities, Assistant Principal and Principal.  He spent one year leading Chattanooga High School's magnet school transition and nine years as the Organizing Principal at the Chattanooga Center for Creative Arts.  Under his leadership, the Center for Creative Arts received the International Network of Performing and Visual Arts New and Emerging School Award, was recognized as a Star School, received the Kennedy Center Creative Ticket School of Excellence Award and was named Magnet School of Distinction by Magnet Schools of America.  Record holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Temple University, a Master of Arts in Education from the Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Seminary.

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Christy Evans, Secondary Director of Math and Science for the Hamilton County Department of Education, will be the Math Academic Coach at Ridgeland.  Evans taught Algebra and Computer Technology on the high school and middle school levels, was a Curriculum Coach/Facilitator, served as the Magnet Grant Curriculum Facilitator at Brainerd High and the Coordinator of Academic Implementation and Management for Hamilton County's Smaller Learning Communities Grant Program before becoming Coordinator of Secondary Math Curriculum.  Evans graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, received her Vocational Education Certification from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and completed a Master of Arts in Education from Tusculum College.

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Michael Tipton, currently Principal at Gilbert Elementary, will join the Administrative Team as Coordinator for School Improvement.  Tipton began his career teaching eighth grade at North Whitfield Middle School.  While there he also coached girls' basketball and served on the Technology Committee.  In 2000, Tipton moved to Howard Elementary as Lead Science Teacher, Balanced Literacy Study Leader and Technology Coordinator.  At Cherokee Ridge Elementary, he was a first grade teacher, Technology Coordinator, After-School Program Coordinator and on the School Quality Improvement Council.  Tipton served as assistant principal to Fairyland and Rock Spring Elementary before becoming Principal at Gilbert and President of the Principal's Association in 2006.  He received a Bachelor of Human Science Development from Lee University and a Masters of Education in School Leadership from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

The Coordinator of School Improvement is charged with developing, achieving and maintaining the best possible educational programs and services to promote student achievement.  Specifically the Coordinator of SI supervises teachers of the gifted, media specialists and web masters to enrich and enhance classroom instruction, is responsible for data collection, interpretation and reporting, initiates and manages the new electronic parent information system expected to be in operation when school starts back in August and facilitates Instructional Technology to provide media and technical support for the Board of Education and all components of the school system.  

Mike Carruth, Chairman of the Walker County Board of Education, said he is eager for these key administrators to begin their new responsibilities and focus on the Mission for Walker County Schools:  to graduate students ready for work, ready for college and ready for life.

Walker County Schools are busy preparing students for college, work and life.  Superintendent Melissa Mathis said, "The most important work of every school district occurs inside the classroom.  To be successful everyone, from the board of education to the students and parents, must know and focus on educating our children."  That is why Mrs. Mathis and a cohort of administrative leaders began last fall working with the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI) to develop and define a mission and beliefs for the students and staff of Walker County Schools.