The Fulton County Board of Education has upset the apple cart once again. It seems every time an administrator is able to get a school on track he or she is transferred or removed. This is definitely one way to keep the "achievement gap" growing for South Fulton schools. The Board has announced the following appointments:

Michael Robinson from Creekside (AYP - Did not Meet, 2007 SAT Avg.-1276, 2007 Graduation Rate - 75.9%) to the new yet to be named South Fulton high school

Michael Robinson, new South Fulton high school

Robinson is currently principal of Creekside High School in Fairburn. Prior to Creekside, he served in various roles at Tri-Cities High School in East Point and was a high school teacher in Washington D.C. Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in special education and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from the University of the District of Columbia. He also holds a specialist’s degree in educational administration from Jacksonville State University and a doctorate from Argosy University.

In addition to recruiting a top-level staff, one of Robinson’s first priorities will be to form a community committee for developing a unique school identity, such as its official name, mascot and colors. The school opens in August 2009.

William Bradley from Woodland Middle School (AYP-Met) to Banneker High School (AYP - Did not meet, 2007 SAT Avg - 1248, Graduation Rate - 73.7%)

William Bradley, Banneker High School

Bradley currently serves as principal of Woodland Middle School in East Point and has also been an assistant principal and teacher at various other Fulton County schools over a 22-year period. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Furman University and a master’s degree in administration and supervision from The State University at West Georgia. He also has a law degree from The John Marshall Law School.

LaRoyce Sublett from Atlanta's Benjamin Carson MS (AYP- Did not meet; Needs improvement) to Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary (AYP - Met)

LaRoyce Sublett, Hamilton E. Holmes Elementary School

Sublett serves as the interim principal at Benjamin S. Carson Middle School in Atlanta. He also has been a principal, assistant principal and teacher in Texas as well as an adjunct college professor in both Georgia and Texas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Houston and has a master’s degree in sociology and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Texas Southern University.

Also Patrick Burke was promoted to Chief Facilities Officer, Burke worked with many of us in redistricting the new schools built in South Fulton over the past few years.

Until his appointment as chief facilities officer, Burke served as Fulton’s director of operational planning for eight years. As the school system’s top planning officer, he developed short- and long-term enrollment projections for the system and also instituted a nationally recognized process for redistricting school attendance zones. He has worked closely with the construction management and facilities departments to develop the district’s five-year facilities management and capital programs plan.

As chief facilities officer, Burke oversees the transportation, operational planning, facilities services, construction management, safety and security, warehousing and school nutrition departments. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and legal/business administration from Ball State University, where he also earned a master’s degree in public administration, and earned a master’s degree in city planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also has completed coursework toward a doctorate in architecture and planning at Georgia Tech.