"Our major

focus will be on academic success, recognizing that attitude, behavior

and social/emotional issues contribute to the ability to perform and learn

at our personal best," added Corley.

With Corley

now at Minter, Kim Herron, former assistant principal of Kedron Elementary,

has taken over as principal of Fayetteville Intermediate. She has been

employed by the school system for 18 years where she started out as an

interrelated resource teacher for grades 7-12 at both J.C. Booth Junior

High, now known as a middle school, and McIntosh High School. She also

served in the same capacity at Brooks Elementary before assuming a position

with the Fayette County Board of Education's central office as a special

education diagnostician serving 10 schools.

Herron served

one year as an interrelated collaborative teacher at Spring Hill Elementary

before becoming the school's assistant principal in 1998 and then at Kedron

Elementary in 2000.

Herron says

her goals for Fayetteville Intermediate are to improve student achievement

through an united instructional focus and to maintain open lines of communication

between the school's staff and parents and also with the staff of neighboring

Hood Avenue Primary.

"I am

very excited about being the principal of Fayetteville Intermediate School.

It is a very supportive community one that I have called home for 18 years,"

said Herron. "I am enjoying working with the Fayetteville Intermediate

School community and look forward to building strong relationships with

the students, staff, parents and local businesses."

This spring

two veteran principals retired leaving some large shoes to fill for their

predecessors. Dr. Bob Martin, principal of Braelinn Elementary, retired

from his position and his assistant principal, Wenonah Bell, was selected

as his replacement. Bell began working for Fayette's school system in

1990 as a teacher of exceptional children before becoming assistant principal

at Braelinn in 1998. She says her goals for the school are to maintain

the extraordinary tradition of excellence that has been established.

"Braelinn

is an exceptional school with wonderful students, teachers, parents and

community support. I am so thrilled and honored to be a part of this school,"

added Bell.

In addition

to Martin, Rising Starr Middle School principal Barbara Bakelaar also

retired from her position. Now, Len Patton, former assistant principal

of Fayette Middle School, will take the reins. Patton began working for

the school system in 1982 as a classroom teacher at Fayette Junior High

(now Fayette Middle) until 1990 when she was promoted to assistant principal

and instructional lead teacher at the school.

A native Fayette

Countian and a product of the school system, Patton says she is happy

to have the opportunity to give something