BIA’s Head of School moves on to teach at University of West Georgia, Interim hired

Dr. Laurie Kimbrel has left BIA for a position at University of West Georgia. File.

Norcross, GA, July 17, 2017 – by Trey Benton – Dr. Laurie Kimbrel, who served as the first Head of School for the Brookhaven Innovation Academy (BIA), has accepted a “tenured track position” teaching graduate students at the University of West Georgia (UWG). According to BIA Board Chair, Jennifer Self Langley, Kimbrel’s new role at UWG involves shaping and training future school leaders.

BIA has hired an Interim replacement, Ms. Terri Potter, who has held teaching and training positions throughout her career. Potter served as the Lower School Principal and Assistant Principal at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta and began her career teaching in Gwinnett County Public Schools, where she was a Fifth Grade Lead Teacher. She has a BS in Education from the University of Georgia and a Masters Degree in Educational/Administrative Leadership from Georgia State University.

“We are extremely fortunate to be able to retain someone of Ms. Potters’ experience and background at this early stage in our institution’s history,” said Langley.

Langley says that as part of Dr. Kimbrel’s new position at UWG, she will remain available to assist BIA through the transition by providing consulting in the areas of curriculum development and leadership training.

With BIA boasting their inaugural first year as being “one of the strongest charter school openings, according to BIA’s authorizer, the State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia”, the school is fully enrolled for 2017-2018 school year with 480 students in grades K-7. Langley said BIA has approximately 800 on the waiting list as of last week.