Several new principals will be handling administrative duties during the new 2024-25 school year in Clarke and Oconee counties.
Some appointments are in an interim status for the full school year. The following are principals taking over for six schools in the Clarke County School District.
Makeba Clark was appointed as principal at Cedar Shoals High School to replace Antonio Derricotte, who took a position at another educational institution. Clark was previously the principal at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School since 2017. She also served as a principal at Cousins Middle School in Covington and has worked at Howard B. Stroud Elementary and W.R. Coile Middle School. She had education degrees from Albany State University, Central Michigan University and Argosy University.
Annie Turman is the principal at Burney-Harris-Lyons High School, where she replaced Makeba Clark. She has been at the school for 10 years and has been an assistant principal since 2021. She joined the district in 2014 as an English teacher and was Teacher of the Year at Burney-Harris-Lyons in 2017-18. She also taught at Elbert County Middle School. She holds several educational degrees from Piedmont University.
Derrick Maxwell is the interim principal at Clarke Middle School, where he replaced Amanda Gorham, who took on a principal’s job in Fulton County. Maxwell began his career at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle and was also a principal at Whit Davis Elementary. Previously he was at Commerce Middle School, served as the principal at Cedar Shoals High and Winder-Barrow High School. He has degrees from the University of Georgia, George Washington University, Lincoln Memorial University and is working on a doctorate from Valdosta State University.
April Braswell is the interim principal at Coile Middle School, replacing Beverly Ford who accepted a principal’s job in North Carolina. Braswell has 22 years of experience in education including serving as principal at Whitehead Road Elementary since 2019. She began as a math teacher at Cedar Shoals High and also taught in Walton County for 11 years. Braswell has education degrees from Valdosta State University, Columbus State University and Georgia College and State University.
Bylan Swift, was appointed as interim principal at Whitehead Road Elementary, where she was assistant principal. She spent 18 years with Gwinnett County Public Schools in elementary schools. She has education degrees from Clemson University, Walden University and Piedmont University.
The Oconee County School System has announced three new principals for this coming school year.
Matt Stephens is the new principal at Oconee County High School, replacing Kevin Yancey, who became the school system’s Director of Student Services. Stephens, who is a Class of 2001 graduate of Oconee County High, was previously the principal at Oconee County Middle School, where he has worked for the past five years. He has education degrees from Piedmont College and Valdosta State University.
Anne Poss is the new principal for Oconee County Middle School, replacing Matt Stephens who assumed that position at Oconee County High. She has 20 years of experience in education including roles at Madison County High School from 2016-2023 and at Elbert County schools from 2007-2016. She has degrees from UGA.
Tamara Goforth was appointed as principal at High Shoals Elementary School, where she succeeded Jennifer Whitaker who assumed a new positions in the system's administrative staff. Goforth joined the school system for an administrative job in 2023, but she has a 28-year-career in education. She was a teacher and administrator at schools in Jefferson and Marion, North Carolina. She also served five years as a principal at Boiling Springs Elementary in South Carolina and worked for the school system in Cleveland County, North Carolina.
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