Education Answer Book - 2026

Education ANSWER BOOK 2026

Saint Francis expands middle school education in Milton Pages 20-22 The

Publisher Emeritus

Ray Appen

Publisher

Hans Appen

Editorial

Jim Bass

Dean Hesse

Zoe Seiler

Dan Whisenhunt

Jon Wilcox

Hannah Yahne

Production

David Brown

Jacob Tomberlin

Dionna Williams

Advertising

Mike Dorman

Paul Flowers

Jade Garcia

Steve Neese

2026 Edition: The Education Answer Book is published at the beginning of each year. For information on inclusion in the 2026 edition email hans@appenmedia.com. If you have suggestions, corrections, or questions about this year’s edition, let us know!

Reproduction of the content of the Answer Book— including all maps and photos — is prohibited without expressed written permission. The Answer Book is a trademarked title. All efforts have been made to verify content. Appen Media Group publishes the Education Answer Book, Community Answer Book, Medical Answer Book and Seniors Answer Book. Online versions are accessible on AppenMedia.com on the home page. Contact us at 770-442-3278 or email advertising@appenmedia.com

319 North Main Street, Alpharetta AppenMedia.com

Welcome to the 2026 Education Answer Book.

We’re glad you picked it up

HANS APPEN Publisher

Dear Readers,

Welcome to the 2026 Education Answer Book. We are proud to continue providing this annual guide as a trusted resource for families navigating the educational opportunities across North Metro Atlanta. At Appen Media Group, we believe strong schools and informed communities go hand in hand, and we remain committed to helping parents, students and educators stay connected to the resources that shape our region’s future.

Inside this edition, you will find information on local schools, academic programs, extracurricular activities and expert perspectives on topics ranging from early childhood learning to college and career readiness. Whether you are choosing a school, exploring enrichment opportunities or staying informed about trends in education, this guide is designed to support you throughout the year.

Education in our region continues to grow and adapt alongside the needs of students and families. North Metro Atlanta remains home to innovative programs, dedicated teachers and a wide range of educational pathways that help students thrive both inside and outside the classroom. Our team has worked to bring together the latest information to help you make confident decisions about your child’s educational journey.

Thank you for turning to the Education Answer Book as a trusted reference for your family and our community.

Sincerely,

Hans Appen, Publisher Appen Media Group

On the Cover:

Saint Francis School students enjoy intimate classroom settings with an average of about 10 students per classroom. See story on pages 20-22

‘If a student can’t learn the way we teach…we should teach the way a student can learn.’

Brought to you by – Mill Springs Academy

Mill Springs Academy is a 1-12 private school dedicated to helping neurodiverse students (including students with ADHD, learning differences, and Level 1 Autism) discover their strengths and thrive. Mill Springs takes a unique approach to education by combining academic learning with practical skills development through project-based learning. Our hands-on curriculum engages students in real-world challenges, fostering critical thinking, executive functioning skills, and social-emotional intelligence.

From the unit-based Lower School program to our Middle and Upper Schools’ robust selection of electives that connect students to critical academic skills through subjects and topics that interest them, we empower

students to explore, create, and grow at their own pace. Our specialized Communication Arts program ensures that students with Level 1 Autism and those with pragmatic language challenges receive the tailored support they need while remaining fully engaged with the broader school community.

Mill Springs’ fine arts program encourages students to explore their creativity through painting, sculpture, set design, music, performance, and more. Our robust athletic programs allow students to play at a competitive level while building teamwork, confidence, and communication skills.

At Mill Springs, our mission is to prepare students to be Real World Ready, equipped with the confidence, life skills, and resilience to succeed in whatever path they choose. RSVP for an individual tour at www.millsprings.org/visit.

Discover the services and benefits of the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau

Brought to you by – Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is Alpharetta, Georgia’s official tourism resource, dedicated to positioning the city as a premier destination locally, nationally, and globally. Through high-quality programs and services, the CVB works to attract visitors and elevate Alpharetta as a top choice for travel and events.

How does the Alpharetta CVB serve North Atlanta’s community? The CVB provides valuable resources, including free visitor information at the Alpharetta Welcome Center with over 200 brochures and complimentary planning services for weddings, reunions, mitzvahs, meetings, and sports events.

When planning an event, the Alpharetta CVB offers:

• A dedicated event planning resource to guide your Alpharetta experience

• Expert recommendations on venues, meeting spaces, and sports facilities

• Assistance securing hotel rates and availability at Alpharetta hotels, with a comprehensive list tailored to your event’s needs

• Support with destination and hotel site inspections

• Complimentary welcome bags with visitor information for hotel guests

• Insider tips on dining, activities, and vendors for your event

• Custom itineraries crafted for your attendees

To start planning your event in Alpharetta, call us at 678-297-2811. Explore more at awesomealpharetta.com and subscribe to our newsletter for updates on events, promotions, and giveaways!

Holy Spirit Preparatory School

Helping students grow in virtue

Brought to you by – Holy Spirit Preparatory School

Holy Spirit Preparatory School is an independent, Catholic college preparatory school serving Preschool12th grade students with a profound educational vision. Our curriculum combines the best of classical pedagogical traditions in a joyful, engaging, and thoroughly Catholic environment. This curriculum includes STEM-based coursework, fine and performing arts, and a very active athletic program. Through these means, we seek to enkindle in students the desire to pursue excellence in every endeavor they undertake and provide them with all the tools necessary to lead successful, rewarding lives in a manner consistent with the sublime end for which they have been

created: eternal life with God. This vision deeply informs our curriculum and animates our efforts to help students grow in virtue and to know and love truth, goodness, and beauty, the three divine attributes upon which all authentically classical, Catholic education is grounded. “A saint,” our beloved late Pope Benedict XVI observed, “is one who is so captivated by God’s perfect truth and beauty as to be progressively transformed by it.”

We strive to provide a learning environment that advances this noble aspiration, so our students are fully prepared to go into the world firm in faith, joyful in hope, and active in charity.

https://holyspiritprep.org/ admissions@holyspiritprep.org

678.761.7992

Observe Save for Education Day with a 529 plan

Brought to you by –

Amanda Coccia,

your

Edward Jones financial advisor

Whether your children are in grade school or high school, one year soon they’ll be leaving for college or trade school. Now is the time to prepare.

A good way is by contributing to a 529 education savings plan. Contributions are made with after-tax dollars, accumulate with no federal income tax and can be withdrawn for qualified education expenses federally tax free.

The list of qualified expenses runs the gamut from tuition and housing to computers to student loan repayments.

Another benefit: As the account owner, you – not the beneficiary – control the account. For example, if you

don’t use all the funds, you can roll them to another family member’s 529 plan.

Of course, there are specific guidelines to follow, which your financial advisor can help you navigate.

May 29 — “five, two, nine” — is Save for Education Day. It’s a good day to commit, or recommit, to having a strategy to pay for education.

This content was provided by Edward Jones for use by Amanda Coccia, your Edward Jones financial advisor at 470622-2126. Member SIPC.

Amanda M. Coccia, ChFC® Financial Advisor

295 Rucker Road, Suite 150 Alpharetta, GA 30004 470-622-2126

Fulton County

Meet the superintendent and the board of education

Superintendent Mike Looney, Ph.D.

Mike Looney joined the Fulton County School System in 2019. He previously served as the superintendent of Williamson County Schools in Tennessee, where he was named 2015 Superintendent of the Year by the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents.

Looney earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and master’s degree in education from Jacksonville State University in Alabama, followed by an educational specialist degree and doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Alabama. He has served on several distinguished panels during his career, including President George W. Bush’s National Reading Leadership Panel in Washington D.C.

In addition to his tenure in Williamson County, Looney served as superintendent of the Butler County School District in Alabama, and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Montgomery (Ala.) Public Schools. An educator since 1994, he has been a classroom teacher, assistant principal and principal.

Prior to his career in education, Looney served for seven years in the United States Marines and received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal among other honors. He is the father of four grown children.

North Fulton County Board of Education

District 1 - Sara Gillespie GillespieS1@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2024; term expires Dec. 31, 2028

As a resident of District 1, Sara Gillespie has been involved in Fulton County Schools as co-president of the Mountain Park Elementary School PTA and the school’s science lab coordinator, where she is active in her two children’s education. Gillespie represents parts an area that primarily serves Roswell and parts of Alpharetta, including the Centennial, Roswell and Milton high school clusters. She served as a board member of Roswell Youth Lacrosse and a volunteer with the Junior League of Atlanta. She has a career background in college admissions and the career placement field. Gillespie has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Saint Mary’s College.

District 2 – Lillie Pozatek pozatekl@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2023; current term expires Dec. 31, 2026

A Milton resident, Pozatek represents the Alpharetta and Milton area. She studied special education at the University of Florida and worked as a high school teacher before she moved to a career in sales. Pozatek left the field when her youngest child joined school and transitioned into parent leadership. She was a parent representative to the School Governance Council and served on parent boards for 12 years. In 2021, she was chosen as a Court Appointed Special Advocate to work with children and families in foster care.

District 3 – Katie Gregory (vice president) gregoryK1@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2023; current term expires Dec. 31, 2028

Katie Gregory represents Sandy Springs, College Park, East Point and Hapeville. She was appointed to fill the vacated District 3 seat in 2023. Gregory spent 14 years working in the public sector for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. She was an environmental engineer in the air protection branch and a manger in the land protection branch. Before her appointment, Gregory was chair of the School Governance Council at Hapeville Elementary School and helped reinstate the school’s PTA. She lives in Hapeville and serves as vice president of McGuireWoods Consulting in Atlanta.

District 5 – Kristin McCabe (president) mccabek@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2023; current term expires Dec. 31, 2026

Kristin McCabe represents the Johns Creek and Alpharetta areas. She was a pediatric cardiac nurse for eight years and spent 10 years working in medical sales. After she left the medical field, she served as a parent volunteer. McCabe was president of the Findley Oaks Elementary School PTA and served as a parent representative for local school advisory committees. She also served on the Fulton County Schools Health Advisory Committee.

District 7 – Dr. Michelle Morancie Moranciem1@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2023; current term expires Dec. 31, 2026

Dr. Michelle Morancie represents Sandy Springs and parts of Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Roswell. A native New Yorker, Morancie spent 28 years as a school psychologist in New York City public schools. In New York, Morancie taught as an adjunct professor of psychology at various colleges. Once she moved to Georgia, Morancie worked briefly as a school psychologist in Fulton County Schools before establishing a private practice for therapeutic services for women. She volunteered as a NICU Baby Buddy at Children’s healthcare of Atlanta. Morancie also serves as a mentor with the Drake House in Sandy Springs.

South Fulton County Board of Education

Franchesca Warren • District 4 Warrenf2@fultonschools.org

Board member since 2021; current term expires Dec. 31, 2028

Franchesca Warren represents areas in Chattahoochee Hills, College Park, Fairburn, Palmetto, Union City and portions of southwest Atlanta. For more than 18 years, as a teacher, instructional coach and literacy coordinator across the Southeast, Warren has advocated for equity in literacy resources for all students. Warren has presented at several national conferences including NCTE and GCTE, and was selected as the South Atlanta High School, School of Law and Social Justice Teacher of the Year for the 2012-2013 school year and a Difference Maker for the Atlanta Public School district. She has founded the parent advocacy think tank, South Fulton Parents for Education, where a group of parents demand equity for school’s south of the I-20 Corridor. Through their work they have been able to advance the work of several initiatives around literacy, STEAM and mental health.

Kimberly Dove • District 6 dovek@fultonschools.org

Appointed to the Board in May 2017; subsequently elected to the position in 2018. Current term expires December 31, 2026.

Kimberly Dove, a long-time resident of South Fulton, represents parts of College Park, East Point, South Fulton, and Union City. Dove has served as a school volunteer and as the president, vice president and parliamentarian of the Parent Teacher Student Association at Westlake High School. With 15 years as an IT expert, Dove specializes in mergers and acquisitions with systems integrations and network infrastructure. She has worked in her community as a past board member of Protecting Our Schools and Community and as a member of the education committee for The People’s Campaign. Dove is a proud parent of three children, one of whom graduated from Fulton County Schools.

Building confidence from kindergarten to graduation

Brought to you by – The Cottage School

Since its founding in 1985, The Cottage School (TCS) is dedicated to building a strong sense of self in students with learning differences through innovative academic and experiential programming. The heart of our mission is to prepare students to reach their true potential as confident, productive, and independent adults.

In our Elementary School (grades K–5), students engage in a supportive academic environment while also exploring personal interests such as art, poetry, math games, executive functioning skills, and music. Through music and structured sensorymotor activities, students strengthen focus, coordination, and self-regulation. Social skills

students build communication and confidence in peer interactions.

In the Middle and High School, mornings focus on core academics, while afternoons provide hands-on electives that connect classroom learning to real-world application.

For instance, Culinary Arts introduces foundational cooking techniques beginning in Middle School and continues through High School, where students can earn the ServSafe certification, a valuable food service credential. In the Drone elective, students gain flight experience and work toward the Drone FAA TRUST certification, with plans for expanded advanced training.

Automotive Mechanics, housed in our Career Center and taught by a certified mechanic and TCS alumnus, equips students

oil changes. These electives only highlight the diversity of electives offered at TCS.

At TCS, every stage of learning, from kindergarten through graduation, is intentionally designed to empower students to discover their strengths and

Education solutions for every mind, every age

Brought to you by - Eaton Academy

Eaton Academy offers multiple programs, both in person and online, since a “one size fits all” approach to education is not effective in today’s world.

Academic Programs

The full-day K-12 school with its 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio allows instructors to address the individual learning styles of both neuro-typical and neurodiverse students. Through the use of STEAM-related activities and multisensory instruction, students of all abilities achieve academic and personal success. The college-prep curriculum is delivered in a safe, nurturing environment.

For students with more significant needs, the Pace Program customizes the curriculum to, not only meet their specific academic needs but also develop life skills and independent living strategies. This approach is perfect for students on the spectrum, those with developmental delays, and individuals with other scholastic challenges. Pace students follow the traditional school day and work to develop greater self-sufficiency and independence, on their way to earning a high school diploma.

businesses and life skill development in our model apartment.

The Independent Study Program (ISP) , tailored to students’ schedules and academic needs, permits individuals to work at their own pace. The tutorial setting enables students who need a more flexible approach, such as aspiring athletes and performers, to work toward graduation while following their dreams. Some students enroll in ISP to accelerate their scholastic work; others seek academic remediation. ISP arranges the one-to-one sessions on a schedule that accommodates the students’ needs for flexibility in time or delivery. Sessions can be in person or online.

Post-Graduate Programs

LEAP is designed to help individuals strengthen their life skills in order to achieve greater independence. Participants benefit from job readiness training at local

The LIFE program works with young adults living in their own apartments. Participants meet with a LIFE coach several times each week for support in areas such as meal-prep, budgeting, hygiene, roommate relations, and housekeeping.

Supported Employment prepares young adults for the workplace. Assistance is given with resume writing, applying for positions, and keeping a job. A personal job coach serves as a liaison between the participant and job sites.

College Exploratory offers individuals college level, non-credit courses so families can gauge students’ readiness for university life. Specific guidance and information are provided to prepare individuals for college.

Eaton Academy is the ideal place for families to discover education options and independent living solutions. Whatever students need, Eaton works to create the perfect education solution for them.

EATON ACADEMY

• Programs for Traditional & Neurodivergent Learners

• Attention to Individual Needs

• Customized College-Prep Programs for K-12

• 5:1 Student: Teacher Ratio

• Independent Study Classes

• Supportive, Nurturing Environment

• Post-Graduate Options Available

Change lives, change the world

Brought to you by – Wesleyan School

Wesleyan School believes faith and intellect are great partners with each other. At Wesleyan, it’s not a matter of choosing faith or intellect, but rather using both to create the best possible education for your child. Our leadership and faculty work to provide students with an atmosphere that is challenging, reinforces the value of hard work, and emphasizes character and integrity above accomplishment. Wesleyan prepares students for each stage of life and

provides them with the opportunity to see all the possibilities that lie before them. Wesleyan’s school motto is JOY-Jesus, Others, Yourself, and every aspect of school life is oriented to reinforce this philosophy of putting Jesus first and others ahead of ourselves.

A college preparatory environment, students have access to a wide range of academic opportunities along with athletics, arts, service and other extracurricular activities. Wesleyan’s 85-acre campus provides stateof-the-art academic facilities along with on-campus practice space for

athletics and arts.

Located just outside of I-285 in Peachtree Corners, Wesleyan enrolled 1,198 students in grades K-12 for the 2024-2026 school year. Wesleyan offers bus routes throughout the metro Atlanta area. Supervised care before school is included in the cost of tuition and after care is available (K-8) until 6 p.m. at an affordable rate.

The Wesleyan School 5405 Spalding Drive, Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 770-448-7640

https://www.wesleyanschool.org/

Woodward North

Brought to you by –

Woodward Academy

At Woodward North, education begins with intention. From the earliest grades, students are immersed in a learning environment designed to challenge their thinking, spark curiosity, and cultivate confidence.

The result is a learning experience built for what comes next. Instruction is intentionally rigorous and deeply engaging, designed for curious minds who want more than checklists and test prep. Students are encouraged to think critically, ask meaningful questions, and connect classroom learning to the world beyond it. This is an education that values innovation, creativity, and adaptability alongside mastery of content.

Equally important is the environment in which that learning takes place. Woodward North offers a close-knit campus where students are truly known by their teachers, while still benefiting from the depth, resources, and opportunities of one of Atlanta’s most respected independent schools. It’s a balance that resonates with families seeking both excellence and purpose.

Beyond the classroom, students explore interests that stretch both intellect and imagination. Robust STEM instruction is complemented by competitive math teams, chess programs that sharpen strategic thinking, and hands-on problem solving that builds confidence through challenge. Unique on-campus experiences like horseback riding foster responsibility,

focus, and connection to the outdoors, while a wide range of cocurriculars and intramurals allows students to discover passions and develop balance.

Character and compassion are woven into daily life on campus. Through service learning, collaboration, and thoughtful conversation, students develop empathy, integrity, and a strong sense of responsibility—skills that matter far beyond school.

For families in the Johns Creek area who value high standards, global perspective, and purposeful community, Woodward North is more than a starting point. It’s where students begin a journey grounded, inspired, and prepared to make their mark.

Discover the Woodward Way—right here in Johns Creek. www.woodward.edu.

“Woodward North has been positively challenging for our children while still being deeply student-centered. The focus on oneon-one growth has ensured our children are not only challenged, but also confident, capable, and motivated.”

-The Jamal Family

woodward.edu/inquire

The Saint Francis Edge

Why a Milton expansion is the answer for families

Brought to you by –

Saint Francis School

Parents in local public schools are grappling with at or over capacity levels and in these “mega-schools,” any student can feel like a face in a crowd of thousands.

Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, Saint Francis School is offering families a compelling alternative. By expanding its renowned middle school program (6th–8th grade) to its 47-acre Milton campus on Cogburn Road, Saint Francis is bringing its 50-year tradition of “personalized excellence” closer to the families who need it most.

Teaching the ‘How’ of Learning

While many schools focus solely on “what” a student learns, the nucleus of a cell or the dates of a war, Saint

Francis shifts the focus to “how” a student learns.

“Our students don’t just learn the material; they learn the process,” says Director of Admissions Brandon Bryan. “They develop into independent, self-advocating learners through the mastery of organization, time management, study skills, and note-taking.”

This focus on executive functioning is woven into the daily curriculum. In an era where parents often find themselves hiring tutors, Saint Francis integrates daily study sessions and a homework hour. This allows students to seek clarification and receive personalized support in real-time, ensuring that evenings at home remain for family and extracurricular activities.

Continued on page 21

Francis School is expanding its middle school program at its Milton campus.

Ending the ‘Lost in the Crowd’ Era

The most striking difference for a student transferring from a crowded public school to Saint Francis is the scale. With an average of 10 students per classroom, the “science and art” of teaching, as Principal Brad Etter describes it, can finally take center stage.

“We meet them where they are and take them as far as they can go,” says Bryan. Whether a student requires the specialized support of the Wilson Reading Program for dyslexia or is advancing through honors courses and eventually Dual Enrollment and/or Advanced Placement (AP) courses in High School, the small class size ensures no one “slips through the cracks.”

The results are undeniable:

• 100% of High School graduates receive acceptance to college and universities.

• 84% of High School graduates were accepted into their first-choice school.

• Over 90% of students earn a passing score on their Advanced Placement exams.

The Best of Both Worlds

With a 47-acre gated campus, Saint Francis bridges the gap between a safe, supportive school and a high-caliber academic environment. The school is designed for students to explore their interests and thrive without overcrowded classrooms and hallways.

• Athletic Excellence: Students have access to a sports lab, two full gymnasiums, a football and soccer complex, an indoor batting facility, and a scenic 5K cross-country trail that winds through the campus’s natural landscape.

Continued on page 22

“We meet them where they are and take them as far as they can go.

BRANDON BRYAN Director of Admissions

Numerous extracurriculars from cheerleading to cross country are available to students at Saint Francis School.

To learn more about Saint Francis School and the expansion of middle school education at the Milton campus, call 678-339-9989 or visit saintfrancisschools.com.

Continued from page 21

• Diverse Extracurriculars: Whether a student’s “field” is the gridiron or the stage, the campus supports a robust range of interests, from football and wrestling to robotics, theater, and fine arts.

• Uncompromising Safety: Security is a cornerstone of the Saint Francis experience. The gated campus maintains a long-standing partnership with the Milton Police Department, providing a secure environment where students can focus entirely on their growth and community.

By bringing these high-level opportunities to a small-group setting, Saint Francis ensures that students don’t have to choose between “big-school” resources and “small-school” attention.

A Proven Choice for a New Era

As schools continue to grow, the demand for an education where every student is “known, challenged, and supported” has never been higher. By expanding the Middle School to the Milton campus, Saint Francis is eliminating the commute for families and providing a school close to home with competitive private tuition rates.

“We are a tight-knit community where relationships are the foundation,” says Principal Etter. “At Saint Francis, we don’t just hire teachers looking for a job; we hire educators who have a passion for seeing a student truly thrive.”

Ready to find your child’s edge? Saint Francis School is now accepting inquiries for the 2026-2027 school year. To learn more or schedule a tour of the Milton campus, visit saintfrancisschools.com or call 678-339-9989

Fulton Science Academy Empowering minds, inspiring leaders

Brought to

you by

– Fulton Science Academy

At Fulton Science Academy Private School (FSA), excellence isn’t just a goal; it’s part of our daily work. As an accredited and STEM-certified school, FSA has earned recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School, a National School of Character, and a 2025 Cognia School of Distinction. Ranked by Niche as the #1 Best High School for STEM and the #1 Best College Prep Private High School in Georgia (2026), FSA serves advanced and gifted students from Pre-K through High School who are ready for meaningful challenge and growth.

Where curiosity turns into real skills

At FSA, students don’t just learn concepts, they put them into action. You’ll see them building prototypes, analyzing data, debating global issues, conducting research, studying in our Observatory, and presenting their findings with confidence.

Our STEAM-focused curriculum connects learning to real-world application. Students are encouraged to think critically, solve problems, and take intellectual risks in a structured, supportive environment.

Small class sizes mean every student is known and supported. High expectations are balanced with strong mentorship, helping students develop independence, accountability, and confidence in their abilities.

Excellence with character

Our ICARE values, Integrity, Curiosity, Advocacy, Resilience, and Empathy, guide daily life at FSA. Character and leadership development are woven into the student experience, alongside rigorous academics. Leadership here isn’t about titles; it’s about actions. Students learn to communicate clearly, make responsible decisions, and lead with integrity in a complex world.

Beyond the classroom

FSA students stand out in programs such as Science Olympiad, Robotics, Model United Nations, Fine Arts, and Athletics. These experiences strengthen teamwork, discipline, and confidence.

Our outcomes reflect this intentional approach. FSA maintains a 100% graduation and college-bound rate, with many graduates accepted into highly competitive universities. More importantly, our students leave prepared not just for college, but for life, equipped with strong skills, solid character, and a clear sense of purpose.

Discover the FSA Journey

Located in Alpharetta, GA, FSA offers a structured, supportive environment for families who value both high academic standards and strong character development. Enrollment is now open. www.fultonscienceacademy.org

Student-led print shop teaches business skills while turning a profit

By HANNAH YAHNE Appen Media / February 2026

For 30 minutes each day, the 10-member team of Alpharetta High School Print Shop is in full swing, writing invoices and designing banners to drape the school’s walls.

Since its launch in 2023, the Alpharetta Print Shop has turned into a lucrative business and popular extracurricular among students. This past year, only four spots were open to 33 applicants.

“You’re dealing with real money, and you have real clients that have real requirements,” said Swarup Kesarkar, the co-CEO of Alpharetta Print Shop.

The enterprise serves more than 100 clients.

Clients can request designs and pick from various paper types, like vinyl, glossy or matte. The print shop offers highquality materials at an affordable price with each paper material costing less than $20 a foot.

Most current clients are programs at Alpharetta High, Kesarkar said. Last September, the

print shop designed and printed banners for each of the school’s student organizations in time for Raider Fest, a community celebration featuring a parade, food and information about all 86 clubs.

The Alpharetta Print Shop started as a fundraising effort for the school’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Now, it serves as a stepping stone for students aspiring to become FBLA officers.

“The print shop was kind of necessary for FBLA’s success, because FBLA is so big that we need some pillars to sustain it,” Kesarkar said.

The student organization is a business, Kesarkar said, and it helps create responsible and forwardthinking leaders at a young age.

“Everyone has to learn how to communicate with each other and kind of grow together to understand how to operate this business the most efficient way possible,” he said.

It has evolved into being an irreplaceable Career and Technical Student Organization, Kesarkar said.

Fulton County Schools is taking notice, and the small business is pitching that the district start a print shop at each high school to give students a real path to business operations.

Not only is it a learning opportunity for students, but the Alpharetta Print Shop has

saved the school thousands of dollars by having in-house printing access.

“It’s a direct call to action, and the growth in the students we’re seeing is incredible,” Kesarkar said. “It’s beyond what any classroom can provide.”

To place an order with the Alpharetta Print Shop, visit the Alpharetta High School website or email alpharettaprintshop@gmail.com.

Dekalb County

Meet the superintendent and the board of education

Interim

Superintendent Norman C. Sauce

III Supt@dekalbschoolsga.org Superintendent since November 2025

Dr. Norman C. Sauce III was appointed by the DeKalb County Board of Education to serve as Interim Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District in November 2025 following the federal indictment and resignation of former Superintendent Devon Horton. Sauce had been serving as Chief of Student Services prior to his role as interim superintendent, where he supported and supervised the district’s departments of Exceptional Education, English Language Learners, Gifted Education, and Early Learning and Pre-K. Sauce, a Long Beach, California, native, earned a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California in 2009. He also has a master’s degree in education from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a bachelor’s degree in History from California State University, Long Beach. He moved to Georgia in 2012.

DeKalb County Board of Education

District 1 – Andrew Ziffer

Andrew_B_Ziffer@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since January 2025; term expires Dec. 31, 2028

Andrew Ziffer won the District 1 seat in 2025 after Anna Hill declined to seek reelection and represents parts of Brookhaven, Chamblee, Doraville and Dunwoody.

Ziffer is an accomplished real estate investor, entrepreneur, business owner and technology professional with a career spanning over 30 years across multiple industries. He currently serves as managing partner at Greenleaf Capital, overseeing the acquisition, disposition and management of commercial real estate assets.

Ziffer has been involved in local DeKalb County schools for more than 13 years, helping open ketchup packets in the lunchroom when his son was in elementary school, chairing the technology committee at Dunwoody Elementary, sitting on the Peachtree Middle School foundation board and being a Principal Advisory Council member at multiple schools.

Ziffer has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Florida’s College of Engineering and has been married for over 20 years. He is also the proud father of a college-aged son, a DeKalb County Schools graduate.

District 2 – Whitney McGinniss

Whitney_McGinniss@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since January 2023; term expires Dec. 31, 2026

Whitney McGinniss took over the system’s District 2 seat on Jan. 2, 2023, following the retirement of board member Marshall Orson and is in the final year of her term.

McGinniss, a Decatur resident, has collected 20 years of experience as a public servant in government and nonprofit sectors. Prior to serving on the school board, she served as a member of the Principal Advisory Council for Druid Hills Middle School.

After going all through K-12 living in Tallahassee, Florida, McGinniss received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of South Florida and her master’s degree in public policy from Georgia State University.

She also serves on the board of the Laurel Ridge Shamrock Civic Association, which helps conduct the City of Atlanta’s annual homeless count and participates in “get out the vote” efforts each election cycle.

Hobbies outside of the board meeting room and schools are gardening, arts and crafts, home improvement, thrifting and current events.

He was hired as the principal of Chamblee High School in 2015. Three years before that, he served as principal of Barnwell Elementary School and assistant principal of Roswell High School in Fulton County.

Sauce left the district to serve as the Griffin-Spalding County School System’s Executive Director of Student Support Services and Executive Director of Elementary Education before returning to the district in 2022.

He has also previously served as an area superintendent for DCSD’s high schools and as the district’s Region IV superintendent.

Outside of the district, Dr. Sauce currently serves on the Board of Directors for Communities in Schools Georgia: an important non-profit connector of families in need of wrap-around services in Georgia.

He has also previously served on the Board of Directors for The Lee Thompson Young Foundation: a leading non-profit in the national conversation around destigmatizing mental health.

District 3 - Deirdre Pierce

Deirdre_Pierce@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since 2021; Term expires Dec. 31, 2028

A native of Chicago, Deirdre Pierce has been a south DeKalb County resident for more than 46 years and has served as a board member representing District 3 since 2021. She is currently serving her second consecutive term on the board. Pierce also served as Board Chair in 2025, but gave the seat over to Allyson Gevertz in January 2026.

Pierce earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Spelman College and worked for Delta Air Lines for more than 33 years, serving as a substitute teacher in DeKalb County on many of her days off.

Pierce has long been active in the community outside of the school board. Pierce also served on the East Lake Family YMCA Board of Directors, Georgia PTA Board, local School Councils and PTAs, Junior League of DeKalb County, Inc. Community Advisory, and President of the DeKalb County Council of PTAs. Due to Pierce’s many years of community service, she was selected as one of twelve PTA community advocates from across the country, to be recognized as a White House Champion of Change by the Obama Administration.

District 4 - Allyson Gevertz (Chair) allyson_gevertz@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since 2018; term expires Dec. 31, 2026

Oklahoma native Allyson Gevertz has served as the DeKalb County Board of Education District 4 representative since 2018, and is approaching the end of her second term this year. Previously serving as Vice Chair, she shifted over the be the Board Chair after Pierce recommended her for the leading role.

Gervertz’s mother was a board member at Enid Public Schools in Oklahoma where Gevertz graduated high school from. Afterwards, she moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University and graduated magna cum laude. She then attended Tufts University in Massachusetts for her master’s and specialist degrees in school psychology.

Gevertz served for several years as a school psychologist for Gwinnett County Public Schools and has recently worked as a community advocate in DeKalb County, focusing on sexual assault prevention.

After sending her two children to DeKalb County schools, Gevertz spent years focused on public education advocacy. She has served in various positions on local school PTAs and School Councils, eventually chairing the regional Emory LaVista Parent Council and DeKalb Chamber’s eduKALB.

She also served as president of the Junior League of DeKalb County and is currently on the Board of Directors for Leadership DeKalb.

Continued on next page

‘Kings of Halftime’: MLK High band director leads students forward

By JIM BASS

Appen Media / February 2026

Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s band, nicknamed “Kings of Halftime,” has a storied background as one of the best in the county. Since 2021, the powerhouse program has been led by a passionate band director named Anthony Pickard.

Pickard, a Decatur native, has been into the craft of playing music since he was a middle school band student himself. After being the band director for four years at Cedar Grove Middle School, Pickard shifted to becoming the leader of one of the most acclaimed bands in the county at MLK High in 2021.

“We had three choices. You could choose between band, chorus or orchestra,” Pickard said. “I thought that orchestra was for really smart people. I was smart, but not the smartest of smarts. For chorus, I’m just not a singer, so I got in the band room, and my band director said you’re gonna be a tuba player.”

His band director later pointed at Pickard in class and told him he would be a band director one day. Despite not believing it at the

JIM BASS/APPEN MEDIA

Martin Luther King Jr band director Anthony Pickard conducts a practice session Feb. 13.

time, he graduated from Alabama A&M as a music major and returned to the area.

“I ended up majoring in music because I remember what my middle school band director said, and it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made,” he said. “It’s different coming to work and it’s not work. It’s what you enjoy. You can’t beat it.”

Pickard joined the program in 2021 and felt at home. His mother worked at the school as a Spanish teacher. He also had big shoes

District 5 – Tiffany Hogan, Ph.D tiffany_e_hogan@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since January 2025; term expires Dec. 31, 2028

Tiffany Hogan was elected to the DeKalb County Board of Education in 2024. She brings more than 30 years of experience in K-12 public education and is committed to advancing educational equity.

Hogan, a proud DeKalb County Schools and Spelman College graduate, earned her doctorate in educational policy studies from Georgia State University. Education career began as a science teacher in DeKalb County Schools, where she taught students at Redan High School, Lithonia High School and Martin Luther King Jr. High School.

Hogan lives in south DeKalb, a community she has called home for more than four decades.

As a former teacher and school administrator, Hogan is committed to supporting the needs of schools as they directly support the needs of students. Her work in higher education has also allowed her to coach many school-based leaders within Metro Atlanta.

Hogan dedicates some of her time to volunteering at her church and supporting others in need. She remains focused on ensuring that all students in DeKalb County Schools have access to the opportunities and support needed for their academic success.

District 6 - Diijon DaCosta

diijon_dacosta@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since 2018; term expires Dec. 31, 2026

Diijon DaCosta has served the DeKalb County Board of Education representing District 6 since 2018. He has also previously served as Board Chair and is approaching the final

to fill following the previous band director, Travis Kimber.

Kimber served as the band director from 2001-2019 until joining Valdosta High School. During his time at MLK, Kimber led the “Kings of Halftime” to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Tournament of Roses Parade, and an invitational performance in South Africa.

Pickard has previously led the band in the Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade and is grateful for the community’s support on the band’s journeys.

Principal Michael Alexander, who joined MLK High in the same month as Pickard, said the band once had close to 300 students and is still treated like a sport today.

The band has shrunk in size over the years, but both Alexander and Pickard are making strides in recruiting. With many band students being younger this year, they feel like it’s possible to grow the program.

“I think we have metrics,” Alexander said. “We would love to get to maybe about 100-150 students in the program going into this upcoming year.”

See BAND, page 29

year of his second term.

As a DeKalb County resident and graduate of Redan High School, DaCosta joined the DeKalb County School District as an educator in 2014 before moving on to serve in the school system’s Human Resources Department.

DaCosta founded the nonprofit organization DeKalb Kids Project, which focuses on emphasizing the importance of academic success and leadership among the county’s youth. He is also a dedicated father to multiple children.

Throughout his career, DaCosta has received several awards, including the 2015 Community Leadership Award, the 2016 Building on A Legacy Award and the 2018 Kennesaw State University Outstanding Alumnus Award, which is where DaCosta graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

District 7 – Awet Eyasu awet_eyasu@dekalbschoolsga.org

Board member since January 2025; term expires Dec. 31, 2028

Awet Eyasu was born and raised in Keren, Eritrea in east Africa.

After graduating high school, he moved to America to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a master’s degree in African Area Studies in 2002.

He then relocated to DeKalb County, where he has lived for over 22 years with his wife and four children. He has been an active member of the Eritrean community, and after obtaining his U.S. citizenship, he became involved in Clarkston and DeKalb County.

Eyasu served on the Clarkston City Council from 2015 to 2023, prior to his election to the school board. He also served as vice mayor for five consecutive years in Clarkston.

He recognized a lack of a voice for the immigrant community, particularly within the DeKalb County Board of Education, and decided to run for the open District 7 seat. In January 2026, he was nominated to become the board’s Vice Chair.

City Schools of Decatur

Meet the superintendent and the board of education

Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker gyimah.whitaker@csdecatur.net

Gyimah Whitaker is a teacher who has evolved into a leader with more than two decades of experience in educational leadership. Since assuming the role of superintendent for the City Schools of Decatur on July 1, 2023, Whitaker has focused on laying a solid foundation to implement the district’s five-year strategic plan, “All In Decatur.”

Previously, she served as the deputy chief academic officer, area superintendent and executive director in Fulton County Schools, Georgia’s fourth-largest school

City Schools of Decatur Board of Education

District 2 - Carmen Sulton (Chair) csulton@csdecatur.net

Carmen Sulton grew up in Decatur and was elected to serve on the Board of Education in 2021. She and her husband, Okera Hanshaw, have three daughters attending the City Schools of Decatur. She has served on the Decatur High PTA, as a parent volunteer at Winnona Park and as a spirit wear volunteer for the Decatur Bulldog Boosters.

Sulton earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Emory University and her medical doctorate from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She works in the pediatric emergency department at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she also serves as the medical doctor for procedural sedation at the Egleston Campus. Outside of work, Sulton enjoys volunteering in the community and spending time with family and friends.

District 1 - Hans Utz hutz@csdecatur.net

Hans Utz has lived in Decatur with his family since 2008 and was elected to serve on the Board of Education in 2021. He and his wife have four children, three of whom attend the City Schools of Decatur. Utz is a veteran of the U.S. Army and holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and a master’s in industrial engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He has served on numerous boards related to innovation, as well as the City Schools of Decatur’s Senior Homestead Exemption committee.

Prior to being elected to the Board of Education, Utz served as the deputy chief operating officer for the City of Atlanta. Utz is an entrepreneur and has invented a device to save lives and help nurses better manage patient care in the ICU.

District 1 - James Herndon jherndon@csdecatur.net

James and his wife Mandi have lived in Decatur since 2008. They are the proud parents of two daughters in the City Schools of Decatur. James runs his own branch of Edward Jones in Decatur.

He is a lifetime educator with 18 years of teaching experience. Previously, he was the director of the debate team at Emory University and an English teacher at Chattahoochee High School in Fulton County. He holds degrees from Mercer University and the University of Alabama. Herndon previously served for three years on the Glennwood School Leadership Team, where he was elected as chair. He was also an active participant in the systemwide Charter Leadership Team, the previous City of Decatur Boundary Committee and an active member of the Talley Street and College Heights PTO

system. Her achievements include managing 30 schools and implementing a tiered autonomy system for school leaders, significantly reducing the number of failing schools from 16 to two in just three years. The remaining two schools were on the brink until the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She has also held various leadership positions within Atlanta Public Schools, including assistant superintendent and coordinator of Gifted and Talented Services.

Whitaker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American studies and a Master of Science in elementary education from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership and administration from Georgia State University, which awarded her the school’s first Principals’ Center Leadership Award.

groups. Herndon is most excited about volunteering to coach, room parent and be more involved in his daughters’ lives.

District 2 - Tracey Anderson tracey.anderson@csdecatur.net

Tracey Anderson and her family have lived in Decatur since 2009, and she was elected to serve on the Board of Education in December 2023. She and her husband have a middle school-aged daughter and are both public educators. Anderson has dedicated more than 25 years to education as a teacher and has served two terms as the elected teacher on a school leadership team.

At-Large - Lorraine Irier lorraine.irier@csdecatur.net

Lorraine Irier is a senior attorney with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, where she has spent more than 20 years advancing educational equity and student protection. A resident of Decatur since 2008, she is also a proud parent of two children enrolled in the City Schools of Decatur. Her involvement in the CSD school community includes active membership in various capacities including serving on the PTA, PTO and School Leadership Team, and advocating for an inclusive curriculum and a sense of belonging among students.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Emory University and completed both her master’s degree in sociocultural anthropology and her law degree at the University of Florida. Irier is honored to serve as the first Asian-American member of the CSD Board of Education.

Decatur High unveils new mural designed by students

By JIM BASS Appen Media / February 2026

A new 500-square-foot mural in Decatur High School, titled “Culture of Peace,” has turned an empty white wall into a bright spot for Decatur High students.

The mural unveiling, held on Jan. 21, was the culmination of a long-discussed collaboration between several groups, including the Decatur Education Foundation, Paint Love, and over a dozen school clubs. Nearly 100 students participated.

Students from the DHS Best Buddies Club, which fosters friendship between disabled and nondisabled peers, according to a DEF news release, served as art directors and helped design the mural.

The mural was funded by Zara’s Fund, a DEF fund established by Jeff Hawthorne and Sue Lin Yee that supports arts and education activities. Hawthorne and Yee set up the fund to honor their daughter Zara Yee Hawthorne, who died at age 6 in 2013 from a rare cardiac condition while living in China.

Zara attended kindergarten at Oakhurst Elementary School in the 2012-13 school year and would have graduated from DHS in 2025. Both Hawthorne and Yee were in attendance at the mural unveiling, along with many students, staff, and Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker.

Meagan Berardi, executive director of DEF, said that Zara had loved being creative through art.

Berardi also said that students are already enjoying the colorful mural, located near the cafeteria.

“We heard a lot of students walking by and talking

BAND, continued from page 27

Pickard believes the band draws from the county’s best and brightest and hopes the band program empowers them to do anything and everything they want after high school.

With several competitions and little slowing down during the year, he also believes that MLK and DeKalb County hold some of the best band programs in the country.

‘Never on the sidelines’

Pickard believes in discipline, such as making students walk in a line or not allowing marching band members to suit up if they are not succeeding academically. However, he also often jokes with his students to help build relationships.

When pitching to new students considering joining the band for the first time, he said the three biggest things are “you can be yourself, meet new friends, and you are always going to be a starter.”

“You are always a starter in band. You’re never on the sideline,” Pickard said.

Pickard currently leads four classes, along with extracurricular band activities. This means he runs the students for large group performance evaluations, drumline competitions, battle of the bands and marching band at football games.

While Pickard said he favors many ‘80s and ‘90s hits, his students often prefer new music. To mediate, he has a suggestion box for students

about it, and apparently, it was just a boring white wall before this,” Berardi said. “They really love it, and are actually hoping to create more murals in their school now.”

The partnership of DEF, Zara’s Fund and Paint Love has previously brightened up Fifth Avenue Upper Elementary and Talley Street Upper Elementary.

Since 2014, Paint Love has given kids opportunities to work creatively on murals and on smaller group activities like making mosaics. With a cohort of muralists, a clay artist, and a bookmaker, among others, the organization hopes to give kids opportunities.

“At its core, it is about the art, but it's also about connection and relationships,” Paint Love Program Director Mandy Noa said. “The way that we do our trauma-informed model and the way that we are there with the

wanting a certain song and said it is a “give and take” with student input.

Pickard believes that supporting the community through music is important and helps conduct the band at the Black Wall Street rallies, MLK Day parades and Stone Mountain’s Christmas parade.

The next performance Pickard is prepping for is a Drumline Competition at Miller Grove High School on Feb. 28.

With such a busy schedule, Pickard is always hoping to make it home to spend time with his wife, Jessica, who works as a school counselor, and their two dogs.

“To anybody who wants to be a band director, it’s hard, it’s time-consuming, but it’s the best job you could ever have in life,” Pickard said.

Bringing the ‘passion’

Of Pickard’s qualities as a band director, conductor and teacher, the word “passion” is used more than any other.

“I think he brings a lot to the table. First of all, I would say passion. He just comes with this drive for the work of being able to lead a band program,” Alexander said.

Senior band captain Akeelah Anderson, who is also the winner of Ms. MLK High, has been with Pickard since eighth grade and also led with the same sentiment.

“I love the passion [Pickard] has for it. That’s what I feel like he really specializes in,” Anderson

kids, it is just about being open and caring to them.”

Noa said the planned mural was one of many projects the organization, based in Legacy Park, undertakes in the Metro-Atlanta area. One of the biggest recent murals was a Marietta High School project that involved all 2,500 students who participated in the painting.

The Decatur High mural took around a week to paint and was designed with meaning in mind. Students discussed the meanings and their own interpretations, which would become the final product.

“I'm hopeful that that keeps that thought turning in their heads, like, what does it mean to be a diverse and peace-building school?” Noa said. “It just brightened that hallway up.”

said. “Being on the stage with him and all his crazy conducting… I’m going to miss that.”

Anderson described Pickard as bringing a fun, energetic, party-like atmosphere to performing. She said that while they thrive with this atmosphere, Pickard also teaches them to “be comfortable with the uncomfortable” and do different things.

“If it becomes overbearing, he’ll always pull you off to the side, calm your head, and send you back into the war because at the end of the day, he wants each and every one of his students to grow,” Anderson said.

With another year wrapping up, both Anderson and Pickard are prepared to get emotional about their final concerts.

“Every final concert we have, I do shed a tear just because I see those kids that matriculate from middle school to high school, I’ll see them come from Flat Rock, Browns Mill and Murphy Candler,” Pickard said. “I see them all that time, and I remember when they were in fourth and fifth grade. It’s just that sense of being here for the community.”

Alexander said that he and Pickard have been “joined at the hip” since they arrived at the school and that he has been “more than just a band director,” wearing many hats, including one as a member of the Principal Advisory Council.

“If we had maybe 10 clone Mr. Pickards, we would be in a better space. But I’m happy to have the one that I have,” Alexander said.

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Allgood Elementary gym teacher adapting to student’s culture

By JIM BASS

Appen Media / January 2026

In an ever-changing student culture, one teacher at Allgood Elementary School is changing her ways to adapt to a new generation.

Yolanda Redmond is recognized as Decaturish INK’s “Teacher of the Month,” a new feature that goes inside the classroom and interviews educators across DeKalb County.

Physical education teacher Yolanda Redmond has taught in gymnasiums for 29 years across multiple schools in Georgia. At her current role at Allgood Elementary, she says she is “more than a PE teacher.”

“The culture and climate at any school, I just want to be a part of that,” she said. “Here at Allgood, we do a lot of things for the students to bring experiences to the kids, because we don’t know if they’re going to get experiences outside of the school.”

Redmond graduated from Armstrong College and had initially pursued a career in English language arts before being told that her charismatic and athletic personality would suit her well in physical education.

Allgood Elementary Principal Bryan Willis-Reese, who began the role in 2024, said Redmond is a “type of educator that kids need.”

“We are almost yin and yang. She has beautiful ideas,” he said. “Not only does she have the ideas, but she has the ability to enact those ideas and do the work. So every idea that she has brought me, there’s never been a challenge about it because I know it’s going to be good for the community.”

Creative ideas and cultural initiatives include Redmond leading the school’s Adult Field Day, Red Ribbon Week, the Black History Month celebrations and a PE Family Night. She recently organized a Polar Express-themed event that fully decorated the hallways in Allgood with winter themes that led to the gymnasium, where students enjoyed ice cream and coloring.

The Polar Express event featured Area 3 Superintendent Erica Bowman, who was moved by the students’ glee. Teachers texted Redmond afterward. Some kids called it “the best day of their life.”

Inside the gymnasium

While Redmond plans several of the school’s out-of-class events, students know Redmond as the gym teacher.

Redmond teaches around 580 students each year across 28 languages and works with them to prepare for state assessments. She often tells them that there are three benchmarks: the state benchmark, the Allgood benchmark, and the Redmond benchmark, which is the highest of them all.

“Preparing the kids for [the state assessment], and seeing how far behind they are physically, I have to do more,” Redmond said. “I mean, it’s me and them versus that test… they always know I’m trying to get them higher than whatever the benchmark is.”

Redmond teaches students to be active in the classroom and at home. She asks parents to take photos of their kids playing outdoors to encourage them to be more active.

Due to Redmond’s efforts, Allgood Elementary received the “Distinguished School” recognition from Active Schools, an organization that promotes physical education for students.

Redmond said that Allgood is the only school in DeKalb County with this distinction.

Before Allgood, Redmond taught in middle and high school. She coached basketball, leading Miller Grove Middle School’s girls team to a 35-0 record at one point.

Caleb Tannor, a former student of Redmond and current substitute teacher at Allgood, shared his perspective on having Redmond as a teacher as he grew up.

“She was giving us the guidance and the stepping stones to get us ready and prepare for life,” Tannor said. “It was bigger than the sports with her, even though she was a prestigious coach.”

Redmond now teaches elementary, but is still coaching basketball under the new elementary athletics program in DeKalb County School District.

Adapting to the kids

Although Redmond has worked with multiple generations of students, she hopes to continue adapting to students’ trends and applying them to the standards required.

“Even though I’ve been doing this 29 years, just with this generation alone, I’m meeting them where they are, and I don’t mind switching up whatever I have to do to accommodate,” Redmond said.

Among these adaptations, Redmond lets students suggest games. Students are adapting online trends and games as exercises. Students begged her to play a game based on the “Squid Game” television show. She adapted the game and made it happen, with some conditions.

“I said we have to meet standards. If you bring me games, I have to figure out how to make it more relevant with our standards and course curriculum,” she said. “They brought me the game and explained it to me, and before they left for the end of the day I had a whole activity. It’s one of their favorite games.”

Fifth-graders Juliette Ramirez, Timothy Scott and Kesianna Paul all shared their joy of being in Redmond’s PE class. They have all participated in the DeKalb Schools elementary athletics.

“What Miss Redmond does, so we never fall down, is telling us to never give up on our goals,” Ramirez said.

Scott was an admitted troublemaker but said that “Coach Redmond straightened me out.” She saw behavioral growth in him over the school year and took him and a handful of students to Topgolf after he won a trip.

“All the other teachers didn’t believe in me, but she did, and now I’m just doing my best,” Scott said.

Forsyth County

Meet the superintendent and the board of education

Superintendent Mitch Young myoung@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Superintendent since July 2024

James Mitchell “Mitch” Young joined Forsyth County Schools as a teacher in 2007. Since that time, he served as a teacher, an assistant principal and a high school principal. On June 1, 2021, he began serving as the FCS deputy superintendent.

Young has been an educator for over 20 years. Prior to his arrival in Forsyth County, he was a social studies teacher and varsity basketball coach in the Gwinnett County School System.

Forsyth County Board of Education

District 1 - Wes McCall

WMcCall@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Board member since 2018; current term expires 2026

Wesley McCall has been a resident of Forsyth County since 2002. He has been an active parent in the Forsyth County School System serving as a student mentor, classroom volunteer, PTA board member and on local school councils.

McCall’s involvement in the community includes student development through his church youth group, founding the Emerging Leaders Program through North Fulton Leadership, working with the Georgia Department of Education to develop career path curriculum for the public safety industry, volunteering as a Boy Scout leader and serving on several educational boards.

McCall holds an undergraduate degree from Grand Canyon University in Christian leadership and a graduate degree from Columbus State in public administration. He and his family attend Browns Bridge Church.

District 2 - Trisha Hoyes

f34821@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Board member since 2024; term expires 2028

Trisha Hoyes has always been deeply invested in public education. Her undergraduate degree is in both elementary and special education, and she has a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. After graduating from college, she became an elementary classroom teacher. She continued to learn and grow as an educator and received a reading endorsement and became a National Board Certified Teacher. Hoyes was passionate about continuously improving her craft and reaching her students to make an impact. She was an educator for 15 years, and the last two of those were in Forsyth County.

She and her husband, Scotty, have lived in Forsyth County for 11 years. A few years after having their first son, Hoyes made the decision to step out of the classroom to offer more flexibility and time with her family. She then began a career in real estate. This new profession has given her the flexibility and time she wanted, but also, it gave her the opportunity to become a business partner with her son’s elementary school and serve on the LSC as both a parent and stakeholder. She continues her career as a Realtor in Forsyth County.

District 3 - Dorian Usherwood

f45826@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Board member since 2024; term expires 2028

Dorian Usherwood is an accomplished leader with 29 years of professional experience, excelling in consulting, big data, fintech, agency operations, creative strategy, brand development, and technology. His career includes roles

Between completing college and moving to Georgia, Young worked in men’s basketball at the collegiate level, serving as a graduate assistant at Florida State University, the director of basketball operations at DePaul University and as an assistant coach at Saint Francis University.

A native of Pennsylvania, Young has spent most of his adult life in the South. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Florida State University and holds a master’s degree from the University of Georgia. In his time in Forsyth County, he has served on the board of directors at the United Way of Forsyth, as well as Leadership Forsyth. Since 2014, he has been a member of the Rotary Club of Forsyth County.

Young has two children, both graduates of Forsyth County Schools, with his wife, Nashlee, a native of Valdosta.

at Accenture, Equifax, IBM, Synchrony, and The Home Depot, as well as in pharmaceutical marketing, government and the nonprofit sector. Usherwood also founded and led a boutique business consulting firm.

In 2008, Usherwood and his family moved to Forsyth County, drawn by the community’s reputation as a great place to live and its exceptional educational opportunities. After relocating in 2016, they decided to return in 2021, confident that Forsyth County was the ideal environment for their children to thrive.

Coming from a family of educators, he has taught Sunday school for over 10 years, focusing on middle and high school students. He has also served on an international school and athletic board, driving initiatives to support youth development and academic excellence.

District 4 - Chris Grimes

f26101@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Board member since 2024, term expires 2028

Chris Grimes has called Forsyth County home since moving from Kentucky in 2000, and it’s where he and his wife Lezlie, a North Forsyth High School graduate, are raising their four children. Two of their children are currently students in Forsyth County Schools. He graduated from South Forsyth High School.

Grimes earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of North Georgia and a Master’s Degree in Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University. He’s a proud graduate of Leadership Forsyth and even participated in Youth Leadership Forsyth as a high school student.

With over 15 years of experience in public safety, Grimes has worked as a deputy sheriff, Forsyth County EMA director, and 911 director. From 2007 to 2013, he served as the school safety manager for Forsyth County Schools, a role that sparked his passion for creating safe learning environments for students and staff.

District 5 - Mike Valdes

mvaldes@forsyth.k12.ga.us

Board member since 2022, term expires in 2026

Mike Valdes and his wife Florencia relocated to Forsyth County in 2012. They served as leaders and deacons in youth ministry at Alpha and Omega Church in Miami, where Valdes focused on troubled youth, substance abuse and gang outreach ministries for more than 10 years.

Valdes has served on various PTOS, local school councils, volunteer task forces, and he has volunteered as a coach for recreational leagues.

Valdes is passionate about fine arts, STEM and business leadership, and he helped to develop the district’s strategic plan as a member of community task forces.

Valdes earned degrees in civil engineering and construction management from Miami Dade College and Florida International University. He has 22 years of experience in the field. Valdes and his wife have three children in the Denmark cluster of Forsyth County Schools.

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOLS/PROVIDED

Completed in 2021, East Forsyth High School is Forsyth County Schools’ newest high school.

School district expects slowing growth after boom

By JON WILCOX

Appen Media / February 2026

Forsyth County School officials say student enrollment may be leveling off a year after raising concerns about potentially strained resources and rapid growth.

Georgia Department of Education data shows the school district boasted an enrollment of about 54,000 students in 2025, marking a slight decrease from 2024 and an about 5 percent jump from 2020.

Those statistics follow national trends and mark a change in course from earlier years, which saw rampant growth, Superintendent Mitch Young said.

“Historically, we have seen over the last 20 years incredible growth, record breaking growth,” Young said. “The reality is that we’ve seen in this past year a major slowdown.”

In 2025, Forsyth County School Board members approved a resolution calling for a reduction in high-density residential development, citing the rising student enrollment numbers. Commissioners cited the

resolution in discussions of a housing moratorium that restricted the acceptance of zoning applications as staff work to revise the Unified Development Code.

Forsyth County has seen explosive growth within recent decades, adding about 105,000 residents, an almost 66 percent increase, since 2010.

Student enrollment has followed suit, rising from about 36,000 in 2010 to about 51,000 in 2020.

Those numbers have required school officials to shift resources and manage facilities in new ways, Chief Facilities Officer Matt Wark said.

Since 2020, the district has opened at least five new facilities.

But with the enrollment boom fading, school officials find a greater need for accommodating older students.

“What we’re seeing now is more of a leveling off, and it’s just a different philosophy of how Forsyth County has to think now our waves are still in middle and high school,” Wark said.

District officials are looking

toward a recent nationwide trend following the COVID-19 pandemic of declining birth rates and increasing ages of first-time parents.

“We see a massive influx in around seventh grade because a lot of families, more established families are still moving to Forsyth County because they want our high schools,” Wark said. “We’re still seeing that.”

As the school district looks to the future, officials plan to continue partnerships with county leaders, Young said.

The Forsyth County Commission said in February staff may soon complete work on some parts of the Unified Development Code in an effort to promote smarter land use and development.

“What you’ve seen is a real synergy develop between the elected officials at the commissioner level and at the board of education level in terms of planning and managing that growth,” the superintendent said. “We continue to collaborate on everything from growth to snow days.”

Automotive class gears students for industry

By JON WILCOX

Appen Media / April 2025

A Forsyth County Schools automotive program is creating career opportunities for students.

And, if the awards students have garnered in competitions are any indicator, these kids are good.

“We have students who come to us just to try it, and never done anything with cars their entire life, and they end up with this as their career,” said Andrew Graham, one of the instructors.

Graham and his wife, Leah, split the 140 students in six classes, teaching everything from basic oil changes to engine overhauls and digital diagnostics at Forsyth Central High School. The classes prepare students for a variety of careers in the automotive world with hands-on and classroom lessons.

The classes are part of the district’s Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education program, which connects students to dozens of career pathways from artificial intelligence to cosmetology to culinary arts.

Students who complete all six levels of the district’s automotive program are prepared to enter the automotive industry after graduation. Students with internships can earn $40,000. Technicians can see salaries in the $100,000 range.

Many students work jobs in the field outside school after turning 16.

Numerous other students go on to complete two- and four-year degrees to pursue a wide variety of industry careers in marketing, engineering, design, robotics and other fields.

“It’s a great career to have, and it’s a great opportunity for students,” Andrew said.

Classes are split between traditional classroom lectures and labs where students literally get their hands dirty working on vehicles.

Checking under the hood

Classroom lessons cover every aspect of vehicles from the difference between a sedan and coupe to electrical systems. The workshops where labs occur resemble real-world automotive shops to give students a familiarity with future careers.

“It’s built like a repair facility where you have vehicle lifts, engine stands,

engines, components, transmissions and work benches,” Andrew said.

“There’s safety chains and safety areas marked off for visitors that you’re not supposed to cross.”

Activities like a multipoint inspection prepare students for typical tasks they may be given in real shops, short of driving vehicles into bays because many lack drivers licenses, Leah said.

Students begin by recording the vehicle identification number to determine its engine size and other specifications.

Then, they conduct a comprehensive examination of the outside, checking wipers, lights and other components. They open the hood to check fluids, the air filter and other parts, looking for wear and tear.

After lifting the vehicle, the oil and filter are changed, and the tires are rotated.

Students will assess each part of the car to give the “customer” an idea about what works and what might need to be replaced or fixed, Leah said.

The entire process is taught with an emphasis on real-world applications, and students are made aware of potential liabilities and risks if a job is not done right, she said.

“We need to make sure we’re honest with the customer, so they know exactly what’s going on,” Leah

said. “I compare it to going to the doctor.”

More than talking shop

The education extends beyond the automotive world, encompassing fundamental life lessons, Andrew said. Students learn how to show up for work on time, tie a tie, write a cover letter and resume, handle an interview and shake hands.

The classes also build students’ characters, Leah said.

Automotive work is inherently challenging, and obstacles present opportunities to teach problemsolving, collaboration and character, she said.

“Sometimes, they couldn’t get that thing apart, or they couldn’t diagnose it or couldn’t understand it,” Leah said. “It’s trying to get from that to ‘How do we figure that out?’”

Leah and Andrew’s students have proved they are taking their classes to heart with repeated wins in competitions.

For the past three years, the students have placed first in the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow’s national engine competitions, disassembling and reassembling engines as quickly as they can.

They have also won at least 10 SkillsUSA competitions in the past decade and competed in Georgia TSA electric vehicle competitions.

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