Darlington is pleased to welcome the following new faculty and staff members for the 2015-16 school year. All will begin Aug. 1, 2015, unless otherwise noted.
Caitlin (Bell) Alexander will teach first grade. She holds a B.A. Honors in History from University of Sheffield (UK) and an M.A. in Conflict Transformation with a concentration in sustainable development from SIT Graduate Institute (Vt.). She has also obtained a Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English Language from ITTC (UK) and a SCITT (School Centered Initial Teacher Training) Post Graduate Certification in Education with a focus on Primary Teaching through the Dorset Teacher Training Partnership at Thomas Hardye School (UK). Alexander is no stranger to Darlington, having served as a substitute teacher for grades ELA-2 and a long-term substitute in fourth grade this year. She taught previously at Mudeford First School, Wyke Regis Infants School, and St Mary’s First School, all located in Dorset, England. A dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, Alexander speaks English, French and Spanish. She has also lived in Uganda, Switzerland and Costa Rica.
Cristy Baldwin will teach Spanish in the middle grades. A native Spanish speaker, she holds a Bachelor's Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico and a Master of Arts in Education from Regent University. Baldwin has more than 20 years of experience teaching Spanish and ESL courses to PK-12 students. Most recently, she was foreign language department chair and Spanish teacher at Rome Middle School. In 2013, Baldwin was named Rome Middle School Teacher of the Year and runner-up in the Rome City Schools Teacher of the Year competition. She and her husband, Joseph, are the parents of Caleb ('20) and Eli ('21).
Shelley Daniel will be theatre director. She holds a B.A. in Communication and Theatre Arts from Mercer University, an M.F.A. in Theatre with an emphasis in performance from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an active K-12 Licensure in Theatre and Speech. Daniel has over a decade of teaching experience, most recently as theatre teacher at South Side High School in Jackson, Tenn., for the past 11 years. During this time, she was also an adjunct instructor at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Daniel has directed and appeared in numerous shows presented by The Jackson Theatre Guild, Southern Arena Theatre, Tatum Thrust Theatre, Hartwig Arena Theatre, the Woods Theatre, Backdoor Theatre, and more. She has led acting workshops for students of all ages and has also earned many awards and accolades for both teaching and performance.
Hans Doerr will teach history and serve as assistant crew coach. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Virginia, where he was a four-year member of the rowing team. Doerr has nearly a decade of experience teaching history, most recently at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J., where he also coaches varsity boys' crew. Previously, he served as head girls' rowing coach at the Detroit Boat Club and the Everett Rowing Association.
Tiffany Doerr will be a personal counselor. She holds a B.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University, an M.S.Ed. for Psychological Services from the University of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania Secondary School Counselor Certification (Grades 6-12). Doerr has 13 years of experience in counseling, working primarily with high school students. Most recently, she was director of counseling at Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. She has also worked at The Oliverian School in Pike, N.H., and at Philadelphia's Charter High School for Architecture + Design.
Julia Douglas ('07, LD '15) has been named director of annual giving. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Georgia and has six years of experience in advancement, both professionally and as an intern. Most recently, Douglas spent two years as an annual giving officer at the University of Georgia School of Law. She also interned in Darlington School's Advancement Office, Zoo Atlanta's Advancement Office, and Congressman Paul C. Broun's District Office. In college, Douglas volunteered as a student telefundraiser for two years and was named a Consistent Top 5 Caller for raising over $50,000 per year.
Derek Fine will serve as technology support specialist. He holds a B.A. in Business and Marketing from Clayton State University and is currently working on an M.S. in Information Technology at Southern Polytechnic State University. Fine has spent the last five years working as a physical security specialist at Unified Consultants Group Inc., based in Fayetteville, Ga. As such, he used his extensive knowledge of electronic security systems to identify vulnerabilities and provide solutions to protect facilities. Fine holds multiple certifications related to data security. He and his wife, Darlington fifth-grade teacher Julie Fine, have one daughter and twins on the way.
Eddie Guth has been named athletic director, effective July 1. He holds a B.A. in Communications from Rhodes College and has over 30 years of experience in independent school education and athletics. Most recently, he served as athletic director and head football coach at Randolph School in Huntsville, Ala. No stranger to Darlington, Guth taught and coached at the school from 1984 to 1994. During this time, he held numerous roles, including assistant athletic director, defensive coordinator for varsity football, head girls’ track coach (winning state championships in 1993 and 1994), strength and speed development coach, director of Camp Darlington, master of dormitories, chairman of the Discipline Committee, Middle School English and P.E. teacher, and Upper School public speaking teacher. He is married to Virginia (Johnson) Guth (’79), who will serve as the first-grade teaching assistant this fall.
Virginia (Johnson) Guth (’79) will serve as first-grade teaching assistant and extended care coordinator. She holds a B.S.Ed. in Art Education from the University of Georgia and has over 30 years of experience in the classroom. Most recently, Guth was a member of the support staff at Randolph School, where she also served as late start coordinator, middle school library aide, and extended care teacher for grades 5-8. She taught art at Darlington's Lower School from 1984 to 1994. She is married to Eddie Guth, Darlington's new athletic director.
Kim Hawkins will be a full-time nurse in the Student Health Center. She holds an A.S. in Nursing from Floyd Junior College and a B.S. in Nursing from West Georgia College. The R.N. has 30 years of experience in the medical field, most recently as a contracted anesthesia, pre-op and pain management nurse at Redmond Regional Medical Center. Hawkins is certified in CPR and ACLS.
Matt Larry has been named ELA-8 physical education teacher, head varsity baseball coach and assistant softball coach. He holds a B.S. in Social Science from Shorter College and a Master of Science in Education from Jacksonville State University. Larry has more than 20 years of experience in collegiate athletics, focusing on student-athlete development, teaching, coaching and team servant leadership. Most recently, he served as head baseball coach and professor of health education at Shorter University, where he was named Staff Member of the Year in 2012. In 2014, he led Shorter's baseball team to a NCAA Southeast Regional Championship and to the semifinals of the NCAA World Series. Larry is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, the Georgia Dugout Club and the Alabama Junior College Coaches Association.
Elisabeth Lawson will teach fourth grade. She holds a B.A. in Art and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, both from Berry College. As an undergraduate student, she studied abroad at Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence Italy and Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon France. Lawson has eight years of experience in the classroom, most recently as lead preschool teacher at Rome First Methodist Preschool. She and her husband, Mitch, own Rise N' Shine Organic Farm, where she serves as marketing director. Lawson also spent three years teaching at Montessori School of Rome and three years working as a ropes course facilitator at WinShape Wilderness. She enjoys being involved in the community and has volunteered with the Chiaha Arts and Crafts Festival, Coosa River Basin Initiative, and the Rome Area History Museum.
Scott Lohmeyer will teach math in grades 6-8 and coach middle school wrestling. He holds a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island, an M.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Bridgeport, and Connecticut Teacher's Certification for grades K-6. For the past three years, Lohmeyer has taught grades 5 and 6 at Cayman International School in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. There, he advised the Middle School Student Leadership Team, was director of the high school rock band, and coordinated the "Teacher Creatures" faculty rock band. He previously served as a long-term substitute teacher at Glenville Elementary School in Greenwich, Ct.
Katie Loomis will teach Spanish at the Upper School and coach varsity swimming. She holds a B.A. in Modern Languages and Literatures from Kenyon College, an M.A. in Spanish from Middlebury College, and an M.A. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, Loomis served as a Spanish Teaching Fellow at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire, where she coached multiple sports and was a dorm supervisor. She also completed a faculty internship at Culver Academies. Loomis has studied in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, and speaks intermediate-level Italian. At Kenyon, she was a member of the varsity swim team and was named All-Conference and NCAA Qualifier. She is also interested in art history and outdoor education.
Justin Merriam will teach science in grades 3-5. He holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Education and an M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education, both from Berry College. As an undergraduate student, he studied abroad in Greece. For the past 12 years, Merriam has taught at St. Mary's Catholic School in Rome. He has eight years of experience teaching fifth grade, and has also taught grades 1, 2 and 3. In 2012, he was a St. Mary's Archbishop's Honoree. He also participated in the Archdiocese of Atlanta Principal Formation Program in 2013-2014.
Kim Perkins will serve as ELA-8 library paraprofessional. She holds a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Indiana University and an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology from East Tennessee State University. Perkins is no stranger to Darlington, having served as an ELA-2 and Upper School substitute teacher and as co-chair of ELA-8 Tiger Pride's Community Committee for the past year. She has also filled in at Extended Day, in the bookstore and at the switchboard. Previously, Perkins spent 11 years as a speech-language pathologist in a school setting, providing diagnostic and treatment services for children in PK-12. She has also provided services to infants and toddlers through an early intervention program, as well as to preschool and elementary-aged children through a summer speech-language therapy program. She and her husband, Derek, Darlington's director of admission, are the parents of Kathleen ('22) and Elisabeth ('25).
Kaitlin Ward has been named ELA-8 librarian. She holds a B.S. in Middle Grades from Georgia College and State University and recently earned her M.Ed. in Instructional Technology with a focus on Media Science from Georgia Southern University. Most recently, Ward worked in the library at Rising Starr Middle School and as an after-school aide at Huddleston Elementary School, both located in Fayetteville, Ga. She is a member of the American Library Association and Pi Lambda Theta, a national teaching honors society.
Beth Wardlaw will serve as technology integration specialist, effective June 1. She holds a B.S. in Middle Grades Education from Shorter College, an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Kennesaw State University, and is currently working on her L5 Certification in Instructional Technology. Wardlaw has a decade of experience in education, most recently teaching Technology, Engineering, Robotics, and Business and Computer Science to students in grades 6-8 at Armuchee Middle School in Rome. She is adviser of the school's Student Technology Association, the AMS Morning Show and the Coding Club (which she founded). She also built and maintains the school website. Wardlaw was a finalist for the 2014 TAG (Technology Association of Georgia) STEM Award. She is a member of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE), CTAE and TSA.
Laura Woford will teach Spanish at the Upper School. She holds a B.A. in Art from the University of Southern Indiana, an M.A. in Spanish from Indiana State University and a J.D. from Indiana University School of Law. She also participated in post-graduate studies in Latin American History at Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela and Ph.D.studies in Spanish at Indiana University. Woford holds Alternative Certification for Secondary Education from Wichita State University and has 14 years experience teaching students of all ages (from elementary school students to college students and adults). For the past two years, she has served as a medical interpreter (English/Spanish) at Arkansas Children's Hospital. Woford looks forward to getting back into the field of education. She and her husband, Jeff, are the parents of Noah ('17) and Phillip Woford ('18).
Becca Wood will serve as advancement administrative assistant, effective March 23. She holds a B.S. in Sports Management from Kennesaw State University. Most recently, Wood served as program coordinator for Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority, where she directed a race series among other initiatives. Additionally, she was responsible for securing sponsorships and developing relationships in the community. Wood is a member of the Rome-Floyd County Commission on Children and Youth's Executive Board and co-chaired their 25th anniversary celebration.
Lindsay Woods will serve as the bookstore manager. She holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from the State University of West Georgia and worked most recently as a loan clerk at Greater Community Bank in Rome. Woods is a graduate of the Polk County Adult Leadership Program and Georgia Academy for Economic Development. She serves on the Cedartown United Fund's Board of Directors and is the treasurer for Life Choices Pregnancy Resource Center. Woods is also a member of the Cedartown Kiwanis Club. She and Upper School Math Department Chair Chad Woods are the parents of Ava Ann ('26) and Barrett ('29).
