Newton Citizen

COVINGTON -- The Newton County School System is looking for a new principal at Middle Ridge Elementary School, as the current one moves up to the central office.

The Newton County Board of Education recently approved Alan Satterfield as the system's director of Special Education, effective Jan. 2. The board unanimously approved the recommendation by NCSS Superintendent Gary Mathews.

Satterfield will continue as principal until then. He will replace retiring Sarah West.

NCSS previously posted the position as open, and interviews were conducted in November. Sixteen people applied, and four applicants were interviewed, according to Nyree Sanders, director of Human Resources.

Satterfield began as principal at Middle Ridge in July 2009. He was the elementary and secondary special education coordinator at NCSS from July 2007 to July 2010 and was assistant principal at Indian Creek Middle School the year before that. He was assistant principal at Oak Hill Elementary School from July 2004 to July 2006, after working as a teacher there since July 2002. He worked as a teacher and coach in Greene County from 1994 to 2002.

Satterfield holds a bachelor of science degree in Special Education and an an educational leadership degree from Georgia College & State University. He also is currently pursuing another educational leadership degree from Georgia Southern University.

"Mr. Satterfield has extensive special education experience and is a well-known top performer in our public schools," Mathews said.

The principal position will remain posted until Dec. 11, and Mathews said the system may name a new principal prior to the upcoming holidays.

"While we may have outstanding external candidates, it is my belief that we have some outstanding internal candidates as well," Mathews said.