Darlington is pleased to welcome the following new faculty and staff members for the 2014-15 school year:
Charlie Beaucham will teach English to grades 7 and 8 and coach middle school football. He holds a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy from Berry College, an M.A.T. in English Education from Georgia State University, and a T-5 Georgia Public School Teaching Certificate in English grades 6-12. Most recently, Beaucham taught English at Haralson County High School. He has eight years of experience teaching and tutoring students at the middle school, high school, undergraduate and graduate levels in the United States, Korea and Austria. He is married to Sarah Beaucham, who teaches English to grades 6 and 7.
Brent Bell will serve as head of school. Most recently, he was head of Upper School at
Randolph School in Huntsville, Ala., where he was also a member of the Strategic Plan Steering Committee. Prior to his work there, Bell was assistant headmaster and dean of academic affairs at Woodberry Forest School in Woodberry Forest, Va., where he held the E. Craig Wall Family Mastership. With over 19 years of experience in education, he holds a B.A. in History from the University of Richmond and an M.S. in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Stephanie Bradshaw will teach science to grades 7 and 8 in addition to serving as assistant girls' coach for Darlington School Soccer Academy. She holds a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of North Alabama, where she played collegiate soccer for four years. She also has an M.Ed. in Health and Physical Education from Valdosta State University, where she served most recently as a graduate assistant women's soccer coach. In addition, Bradshaw has a USSF National “C” Coaching License and is currently finishing up her USSF National “B” Coaching License this summer. A member of the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators, she is American Red Cross certified in CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Health Care Providers and has an Active IQ Level 2 Fitness Instructor Certificate.
Patrick Collier ('08) will teach history to grades 6 and 7, in addition to serving as head middle school track coach and assistant coach of the middle school football team. He holds a B.S. in General Social Science Education from Auburn University and
completed his student teaching in U.S. History at Dadeville High School in Tallapoosa, Ala. In college, Collier mentored an elementary school student for two years through Auburn's Project Uplift. Since moving back to Rome, he has spent a great deal of time at Darlington as a substitute teacher and community coach (football and track), while also being employed as a wrangler at Barnsley Gardens. In addition, Collier was an assistant basketball coach at Model Middle School this year.
Adrienne Forgette will teach communication courses at the Upper School. She holds two B.A.s in English
and
Educational
Studies
with
Secondary
English
certification from Colgate University as well as an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Maryland, College Park. Most recently, Forgette taught English at Martha’s
Vineyard
Regional
High
School
in Oak
Bluffs,
Mass., and served as co-adviser of the yearbook. Forgette has six years of experience teaching and advising award-winning publications, presenting at and leading trips to national
scholastic
press
journalism
conferences, and preparing students to participate
in
summer
journalism
experiences.
Nathan Holst will serve as assistant director of boarding admission. He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Rhode Island College. Holst has six years of experience in admissions, most recently as assistant admissions director at Darrow School in New Lebanon, N.Y. There, he was also a
student advisor, a coach and a member of the residential life faculty.
Kimberly Human will serve as ELA-8 music specialist. She holds a B.M.E. in Music Education from Berry College and a Georgia Educator Certificate in K-12 Music. Most recently, Human was a student teacher at Cass High School, where she taught choral students in grades 9-12. She has also worked with students at Berry College and Elementary School, Euharlee Elementary School, and Rome Middle School. In college, Human was a member of The Berry College Concert Choir, The Berry Singers and Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society. She also received the 2011 Rome Music Lover’s Excellence in Music Award.
Hope Jones will serve as director of ELA-8. Most recently, she was
assistant head of lower school at Viewpoint School in Calabasas, Calif. There, she was also primary and lower school curriculum coordinator, co-chair of the Technology in Curriculum Task Force, and communication liaison for K-5 school publications. Jones holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and English from the University of Alabama – Huntsville as well as an M.A. in Middle Level Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. She has 15 years of teaching experience at schools in Alabama, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and California.
Barton Lowrey ('05, LD '14) will serve as major gifts officer in the Advancement Office. In this role, he will manage relationships with donors and oversee the identification, cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of major gifts. Lowrey holds a B.B.A. in Real Estate and a B.S. in Education from the University of Georgia. In college, he also studied abroad in England and New Zealand. He is a graduate of Leadership Darlington, L.E.A.D. Athens and the Georgia Academy for Economic Development. Lowrey has spent the last four years working as a field representative and constituent services representative in the Office of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson.
Jamie Massey will teach third grade. She holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the State University of West Georgia as well as an M.Ed. and an Ed.S., both in Early Childhood Education, from Jacksonville State University. Additionally, she holds certifications in Early Childhood Education (P-5), Learning Disabilities (P-12), Educational Leadership (P-12), Reading Endorsement and Gifted Endorsement. Massey has 18 years of experience in education, serving most recently as a second-grade teacher at Cave Spring Elementary School. She also spent several years as a family literacy coordinator for Floyd County Schools and as the coordinator of their 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.
Cindy McGehee has returned to Darlington to serve as an ELA-8 learning specialist. She is no stranger to the school, having served as an Upper School learning specialist during the 2012-13 school year and as a tutor and substitute teacher for several years. McGehee holds an A.A. in Liberal Arts from Pensacola Junior College, an A.S. in Optometric Technology from Southern College of Optometry and a B.S. in Finance from Auburn University. She spent several years working at Shorter University as co-coordinator of academic services and, later, as director of student engagement and success. She is the mother of Clark McGehee ('06).
Jake Miller will teach biology at the Upper School. He holds a B.S. in Natural Resource Management (Biological Conservation) from Colorado State University. Miller has worked at Camp Moosilauke in Orford, N.H., for the past seven years and currently serves as waterfront director and head counselor.
Jamey Newsome will return to Darlington to serve as an assistant director of Darlington School Soccer Academy. No stranger to the school, he held the same role during the program's early years from 2005-2007. Newsome holds a B.S. in Physical Education from Mars Hill College (N.C.). as well as a U.S. Soccer Federation “B” License, KNVB Advanced Certification, and USSF D and E Licenses. Most recently, he served as head women's soccer coach at Auburn University Montgomery and director of coaching at FC Torjager. He also has 18 years of soccer camp experience, including but not limited to Region III ODP Camp, SoccerPlus Camps, No. 1 Soccer Camps, and many other college and club camps.
Connie Ortmeier ('69T) will serve as the first-grade teaching assistant in Rachel Harrison's class. She has more than 30 years of experience in elementary education and has spent the last six years serving as a regular substitute at Darlington's Lower School. Last fall, she was a long-term substitute teacher in first grade while Harrison was out on maternity leave. Ortmeier holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Georgia and an M.S. in Elementary Education from Clemson University.
Mary Sessions will serve as assistant director of boarding admission. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and French from Elon University and studied advanced French at Azurlingua Language School in Nice. Sessions has six years of experience in admissions at The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tenn. In addition to serving as associate director of admissions there, she was a student advisor and a member of the residential life faculty. Most recently, Sessions spent one year as a program manager at Crane Metamarketing in Atlanta.
Grey Simpson will serve as dean of students, director of summer programs and assistant football coach. He holds a B.A. in Chemistry from College of the Holy Cross and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Florida Atlantic University. Simpson has 16 years of experience in teaching, coaching and school administration. Most recently, he served as director of summer programs, director of student activities and assistant dean of student life at The Hill School in Pottstown, Penn. There, he also taught chemistry and coached football and basketball.
Jessie Weaver will teach math part time at the Upper School in addition to serving as head softball and assistant golf coach. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she played collegiate softball. She is currently finishing up her Master of Art in Teaching with a focus on Secondary Education (Mathematics) from the University of Phoenix. Weaver has two years of experience in marketing and account management at Shaw Industries. She also has 11 years of experience coaching softball through Champions Fast Pitch Academy.
David Yarborough will teach history to grades 7 and 8, in addition to serving as head boys' lacrosse coach. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where he also earned his Teacher Certification. Yarborough also has an M.Ed. in Secondary School Administration from the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Most recently, he taught world history at The Walker School in Marietta, Ga. He has 35 years of experience teaching and coaching football, lacrosse, basketball, baseball and track.
