Mark

Whitlock can't wait until August.

The Coweta

County Board of Education and Carroll Technical College

recently named Whitlock the CEO of the Central

Educational Center, a charter school opening in August

that will provide joint credit between the local high

schools and Carroll Technical College.

Whitlock

brings a multi-faceted background to this position, with

experience as a vocational consultant and most recently

as a vice president with Bank of America.

The Central

Educational Center organizers were pleased to find

someone with specific experience in these areas in order

to provide leadership in education as well as the

business-world aspect of the CEC.

Whitlock is

a native of Coweta County, a Newnan High School graduate

who holds degrees in business and education from Georgia

State University and the University of Georgia.

"My

first task," Whitlock said, "is to understand

and continue to develop the great collaboration among the

local community, school system and Carroll Technical

College that have made the CEC a reality."

Whitlock

has hit the ground running and said he expects 600

students enrolled in the school this fall, with as many

as 1,500 students from around the county taking at least

one class at the center.

The

education center is something that will be closely

watched by educators around the country.

"We

can't find another like it anywhere," he said.

In addition

to offering high school courses and technical courses

through Carroll Tech, the center will also serve as the

county's night high school.

"This

is a big plus for the county. Previously, night students

have had to travel to other counties to complete their

education," he said.

Workers are

busy at the center remaking it from an ordinary high

school into a complete education center. Whitlock said

work will start later this year on additional buildings

at the center that will open in 2001.

He relishes

the prospect of being an education pioneer and believes

the center will be a model for programs around the

county.

"It's

really an exciting program and it shows a great deal of

collaboration between the Board of Education, local

business leaders and Carroll Tech," he said.