On the Agenda: School resource officers, student scholarship winners to be recognized at county school board meeting Monday

Published 8:30 am Saturday, August 2, 2025

Whitfield County Board of Education members and Whitfield County Schools’ Safety Coordinator Richard Knox are scheduled to introduce the district’s school resource officers (SROs) for the 2025-26 school year during the monthly Board meeting on Monday.

The meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in the district office at 2364 Cleveland Highway and is open to the public. A work session will take place at 5:30 p.m. ahead of the regular meeting.

As part of an intergovernmental agreement with the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office and the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners, the school system uses SROs throughout the school system along with a full-time investigator.

According to Superintendent Mike Ewton, a “unique” aspect of the school system’s SRO program includes the addition of three DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers.

Founded in 1983, DARE is a nationwide education program that teaches students vital decision-making and drug resistance skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives.

For the upcoming school year, which begins Tuesday, Aug. 5, the district will employ 29 officers across the school system.

Stationed at district elementary schools will be Vanessa Robledo at Antioch Elementary, Jeff Diak at Beaverdale Elementary, Floyd Loftis at Cohutta Elementary, Hannah Squires at Cedar Ridge Elementary, DARE Officer Vincent Schaub at Dawnville Elementary, Clayton Evans at Dug Gap Elementary, Wilber Ramirez at Eastside Elementary, Steven Herrera at New Hope Elementary, DARE Officer Nathan Carter at Pleasant Grove Elementary, James Brown at Tunnel Hill Elementary, Garrett Espy at Varnell Elementary, DARE Officer Nathan Center at Valley Point Elementary and Austin Byrd at Westside Elementary.

For district middle schools, Edgar Corona will be stationed at Eastbrook Middle, Ron Kirby will be at New Hope Middle, David Headrick will be at North Whitfield Middle, Charles Meadors will be at Valley Point Middle and Alex Hall will be at Westside Middle.

High school SROs include Brian Dial and Gerald Cooley at Coahulla Creek High, Kenneth Henderson and Brandon Dalton at Northwest Whitfield High, Mark Lacoursiere and Daniel Jones at Phoenix High and the Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy, and Jennifer Nunez and Adam Hill at Southeast Whitfield High. Sgt. Daniel Meadors will be stationed at the district’s alternative school, Crossroads Academy, while Sgt. Dewayne Holmes will serve as school detective and Lt. Tammy Silvers will serve as SRO lieutenant.

Also during the meeting Monday, Northwest Whitfield High School agriculture teacher Janet Robbins is scheduled to present the 2025 James and Geneva Causby Trammell Worthy Student Scholarship to students Megan Bailey and Landon Phillips.

Each year, the scholarship is given to a high school student for the continuation of higher education with a focus on agricultural pursuits. Former Whitfield County Schools teacher Grover Causby established the scholarship in honor of his late sister Geneva and her husband James Trammell, who also served as educators in Whitfield County for several years.

Monday’s meeting is also set to feature:

• The monthly financial report from Chief Financial Officer Kelly Coon, which will include information on the district’s general fund, capital projects funds and any purchases over $25,000.

• District-wide operational, teaching and learning updates from Deputy Superintendent Karey Williams.

• A presentation from Phoenix High School and Northwest Georgia College & Career Academy Principal Sherri Travisano on a comprehensive school improvement grant and upcoming project.