Alpharetta's Manning Oaks Gets Principal from Tennessee

UPDATED 5:26 p.m. New principals for Manning Oaks Elementary School and Westlake High School have been named by the Fulton County School System.

“I’m pleased to announce that Kirk Shrum from Hamilton County Schools and Grant Rivera from Cobb County Schools will be joining the Fulton County School System,” said Superintendent Cindy Loe in a news release. “Both are outstanding leaders with exceptional track records for raising student achievement and increasing their schools’ overall success.”

Shrum, a principal with Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee, will lead Manning Oaks Elementary, following in the footsteps of retiring principal Sharon Reinig. He joins Fulton County after successfully serving as an elementary school principal, assistant principal and teacher for the past 13 years.

Shrum, reached via email on Monday afternoon, said he sought this job because it gave him an opportunity for professional and personal growth. He said Fulton County was a great school system and that it was the right time to make a chance in his career.

"Manning Oaks is a very successful school with a great staff and a diverse student population. The school has a long standing tradition of academic success and I feel that my professional experiences are the right fit to allow me to work with the parents, students, and staff to build upon the achievements of the school and ensure its continued growth and success," Shrum said.

He said classrooms should be child-centered.

"I believe in an educational approach where students are supported in a safe environment and allowed to grow both academically and as young children. I believe that parent and community support are essential and I continually seek ways to ensure that parents are an active part of the educational process and that local businesses support the mission of the school," Shrum said. "I believe that a good education involves great classroom instruction combined with learning outside of the classroom through field trips and hands-on experiences."

High achievement and improvement are hallmarks of Shrum’s leadership, according to the news release from Fulton County Schools. His elementary school earned all As in a countywide performance system in math, reading, science and social studies for the 2007, 2008 and 2009 school years. It was one of only three schools in Hamilton County to receive all As for 2009. In addition, he has been recognized by the Public Education Foundation of Chattanooga as a “Highly Effective Teacher” and a “Leadership Fellow,” as well as named by the Tennessee Association of Social Studies Teachers as an “Outstanding Teacher.”

According to the Hamilton County Department of Education Web site, Shrum is principal of Daisy Elementary, a K-5 school with 543 students.

Shrum earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Tennessee and a master’s degree in instructional leadership from Tennessee Technology University. He currently is pursuing a doctorate from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Dr. Grant Rivera of Cobb County Schools will take the helm at Westlake High School next year. Currently the principal of Campbell High School and previously at South Cobb High School, Dr. Rivera’s tenure resulted in both schools meeting Adequate Yearly Progress consistently and being removed from the No Child Left Behind’s Needs Improvement list. In fact, under his leadership South Cobb High School earned the Governor’s Cup for highest SAT gains and in 2010 he was named the Georgia PTA’s Outstanding High School Principal of the Year.