0202LISAUD
Raiford Cantrell, superintendent of Gilmer County schools in North Georgia, talks about the hiring of Lisa Smith as Gilmer’s systemwide math specialist. Smith currently serves as principal of the Classical Studies Academy at Gainesville Middle School.GAINESVILLE — Lisa Smith, principal of the Classical Studies Academy at Gainesville Middle School, is headed to Gilmer County in North Georgia as systemwide math specialist.
The Gilmer County Board of Education voted Thursday night to approve her hiring.
Smith said she is very excited about the move, "but I have mixed emotions."
Smith, 42, has been with Gainesville city schools for 12 years.
She spent the first five years as a math teacher at Gainesville High School. She has been at Gainesville Middle School for the past seven years, the first five as an assistant principal and the past two as Classical Studies principal.
The start date for her new job hasn’t been determined yet, but she said she is eager for the new opportunity.
"We’re in negotiations right now," Smith said of her move to Gilmer.
Raiford Cantrell, superintendent of Gilmer County schools, said the system is "very excited" to have the systemwide position for kindergarten through 12th grade.
"We are particularly excited to have an outstanding educator such as Lisa Smith to provide these services to benefit our (students)."
Smith "will support teachers in the implementation of research-based instructional strategies, formative assessment-driven instruction and K-12 math articulation," Cantrell said.
Her salary is still being worked out, he added.
Smith will be joining a former Gainesville Middle School administrator, Mike Schlabra, in Gilmer.
Schlabra, who served as principal in the 2006-07 school year, serves as the director of curriculum and federal programs.