New Principals for Wilson Creek, Northview

A North Carolina principal will move south to Georgia to lead Northview High School as its new principal and an assistant principal at Wilson Creek Elementary will take the top spot.

At the Fulton County School Board’s June 14 meeting, new leaders were named for the two Johns Creek schools. Both principals, as well as the district’s newly named chief of staff, begin their new posts July 1.

Paul Brannon will lead Northview High School. Currently a high school principal in North Carolina, Brannon’s educational philosophy is to help students reach their goals while fostering an educational environment of academic excellence, equity and access. He also will bring his experiences as a middle school principal, assistant principal at both the middle and high school levels, and as a special education teacher.

Brannon received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in school administration from the University of North Carolina. He also holds a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from Wingate University, where he is completing his doctorate.

On Wednesday, June 22, Fulton County Schools students, staff and parents, as well as business leaders, elected officials and other Fulton residents, are invited to meet Brannon. A reception from 6 to 6:30 p.m. will be followed by introductory comments from Robert Avossa, Fulton County Schools Superintendent, and Brannon, who will share his educational philosophies and personal background. The meet-and-greet will take place at Northview High School's auditorium at 10625 Parsons Road.

Alpharetta and Johns Creek parents and students should recognize the new Wilson Creek Elementary principal, Andrea Cushing, who has been at the school as its assistant principal since its opening in 2004. And before that she served as assistant principal at another Johns Creek school, Findley Oaks Elementary. She was a participant in the school system’s administrative internship program and also taught at at , Findley Oaks and Hapeville elementary schools.

A 20-year veteran of the Fulton County School System, Cushing holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Maryland, a master’s degree in education from Georgia State University, and a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from the University of West Georgia.

In addition to the principal appointments, the school board approved Michael Davis as the school system’s chief of staff. Davis is the director of Special Projects at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. In that role he advises the superintendent on educational policy and national education reform efforts. He also has served as the district’s director of Accountability and has held positions with Teach for America and Platform Learning, a national provider of tutoring services under No Child Left Behind.

Davis also is part of the Broad Residency, a highly competitive leadership development program sponsored by the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Morehouse College as well as a law degree from Fordham University.