May 27th, 2021 – 10:28 AM
Floyd County Schools –
***Effective July 1, 2021, Judson Cox will officially become the principal of Coosa High School (CHS). Currently, he serves as an assistant principal at CHS and has been with Floyd County Schools (FCS) for 19 years as a teacher and an administrator. Mr. Cox’s current position as an assistant principal at CHS will be replaced by Mrs. Kristen Martin who is an assistant principal at Cass High School in Bartow County School District. Mrs. Martin will also join Dr. Miriam McGhee who has served as an assistant principal at CHS since 2014.
Mr. Cox is a 1997 graduate of Model High School and has spent his entire educational career in FCS. His roles have included assistant principal, special education teacher, assistant football coach, assistant and head girls basketball coach, safety and driver education instructor, and FCS Leadership Academy participant. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Special Education from Jacksonville State University, a Master’s degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment from Walden University, an Educational Specialist’s degree in Educational Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.
“I’m excited about where we’re headed and want to continue on this path of excellence,” said Mr. Cox. “It’s an honor to serve in the Coosa Community and it’s great to be a Coosa Eagle!”
“Judson is a graduate of Model High School, and as his former principal and current superintendent, I couldn’t be more proud than to see one of our own give back to our school system in this way,” said FCS superintendent Dr. Glenn White. “He has proven himself as an outstanding teacher, coach, and assistant principal and will be a fantastic principal for Coosa High.”
Mrs. Kristen Martin has spent the last seventeen years serving students and teachers in Bartow County, first as a high school math teacher and then as Assistant Principal at the elementary and high school levels. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics education from Shorter College, Master’s and Specialist’s degrees from Piedmont College, and a Specialist’s degree in Leadership from Berry College. She will soon graduate with her fifth and final degree – an Ed.D. from the American College of Education.
***Effective July 1, 2021, Mrs. La Donna Turrentine will be the new face leading the way at Alto Park Elementary School. Currently, she serves as the principal at Coosa High School (CHS) and has been with Floyd County Schools (FCS) for 27 years, collectively, as a teacher and an administrator. Mrs. Turrentine will be accompanied by Dr. Tabatha Tierce who is the current assistant principal at Coosa Middle School (CMS).
Mrs. Turrentine has extensive experience as an administrator. Prior to being principal at CHS, her roles included being the principal at Johnson Elementary and Kingston Elementary and an assistant principal of instruction and/or discipline at Armuchee Middle, Armuchee Elementary, and Model High. She graduated with Educational Master’s and Specialist degrees from Lincoln Memorial University and a Bachelor’s degree from Shorter College.
Dr. Tierce is a Coosa High School graduate (‘99) and has been employed by FCS for 17 years. She spent her first four years at CMS followed by 12 years at Cave Spring Elementary prior to returning to CMS as an assistant principal in 2019. She graduated with a Doctorate of Education in Teacher Leadership from Walden University, a Master’s degree in Education from Jacksonville State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education from Berry College.
“While it is bittersweet to leave CHS, I am very excited to still be able to serve the Coosa Community at Alto Park Elementary School. It is hard to leave CHS because I have enjoyed working together with the incredible faculty and staff and with such hard-working students as we worked towards EXCELLENCE in everything we did,” said Turrentine. “Now I get an exciting new opportunity to work with the wonderful people and community at Alto Park and I know we will work together to strive for EXCELLENCE in all we do. I am very happy that I still get to say – It’s GREAT to be a COOSA EAGLE!”
“La Donna has done a fantastic job as principal at Coosa High and we are excited about the enthusiasm this new administration will bring to their positions at Alto Park Elementary,” said FCS superintendent Dr. Glenn White. “During her time at Johnson Elementary, La Donna was the first principal to achieve a National Blue Ribbon School recognition for FCS. I appreciate her service to the school system and look forward to seeing her continued efforts in the Coosa Community.”