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Floyd County Schools (FCS) is proud to announce the appointment of Shawna Cole as the new Assistant Principal at Pepperell High School (PHS). 

Ms. Cole brings with her a decade of experience in education and a proven track record of improving student outcomes through strong instructional leadership and a focus on school culture.

"It is a privilege to join the team at Pepperell High School,” said Cole. “I am excited to bring my experience and dedication to a school community that values excellence. I firmly believe that ​every student can achieve meaningful growth when we set high expectations and provide the right support. I look forward to working together to help all students reach their highest potential."

Ms. Cole most recently served as Assistant Principal at Bay High School in Panama City, Florida, where she led initiatives in curriculum implementation, safety planning, and departmental leadership for mathematics. During her time there, she helped reduce schoolwide discipline referrals by 14%, contributed to a rise in graduation rates, and played a key role in academic achievement efforts across multiple grade levels.

Prior to her leadership role, Ms. Cole spent several years teaching reading and language arts in grades 4 through 8, where she developed curriculum, fostered interdisciplinary learning, and earned recognition for student performance—achieving the highest writing scores in Bay District Schools. She also wrote the district’s 8th-grade English Language Arts curriculum and served as an exemplary teacher for training school administrators.

Ms. Cole holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Georgia State University, and multiple certifications, including Educational Leadership for all levels, K–6 Elementary Education, and a Reading Endorsement.

A native of Carroll County, Ms. Cole is thrilled to return home to Georgia and join the Pepperell community. “It’s an honor to come back and serve in the state where my love for education began,” she shared. “I look forward to partnering with students, staff, and families to continue the legacy of excellence at Pepperell High School.”

Outside of her professional life, Ms. Cole enjoys exploring the outdoors, particularly hiking and nature trails. She is eager to reconnect with the local community and contribute both professionally and personally to the Pepperell family.

Please join us in welcoming Shawna Cole to Pepperell High School.

Floyd County Schools (FCS) is taking bold new steps to further strengthen the safety and security of its students, staff, and campuses. 

Beginning in the upcoming school year, FCS will implement enhanced security protocols through a new partnership with Global K9 Protection Group, a nationally recognized leader in K9 detection services. Some notable partners of Global K9 include Delta Air Lines, the Department of Homeland Security, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, and the Transportation Security Administration.

As part of this initiative, dual-purpose K9 officers—trained to detect both firearms and illegal drugs—will be introduced into the school environment. These highly trained K9 teams will undergo specialized training this summer and are scheduled to be active in Floyd County schools starting the 2025–26 academic year.

“We are excited to partner with Global K9 Protection Group,” said Sgt. Stephen Wacker. “This partnership will add another proactive layer to the comprehensive security measures we already have in place. These dual-purpose K9s will serve as a powerful deterrent and an added resource in our efforts to keep schools safe for everyone.”

In addition to the K9 units, FCS is increasing its overall law enforcement presence by adding more School Resource Officers (SROs) and maintaining the current practice of placing off-duty police officers at each school campus, a practice that was implemented this school year and has been a great addition for each location. 

We are incredibly thankful for our ongoing partnership with the Floyd County Police Department (FCPD) and the vital work they do for our schools and students every day. This partnership continues to grow stronger, and we are pleased to share that the department has recently introduced yet another safety tool—the FCPD app. Among its many features, one key function allows users to submit anonymous tips by school, which are immediately routed to the appropriate personnel, allowing for a quicker and more effective response.

These combined efforts represent a proactive, comprehensive, and layered approach to school safety, reflecting FCS' ongoing commitment to creating secure, welcoming environments for learning.

“Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority,” said Dr. Glenn White, Superintendent of Floyd County Schools. “The addition of highly trained K9 units represents another important step in strengthening the measures already in place across our campuses. This partnership, and our continued partnership with the Floyd County Police Department, reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a secure and supportive learning environment.”

About Floyd County Schools

The Floyd County School (FloydBoe.net) system provides opportunities for schools and students to achieve academic excellence. Floyd County teachers focus on academic basics and innovative teaching methods to build a strong foundation for student learning. In Floyd County Schools, the academic programs are available to prepare students for the most demanding college, university, technical college, or other post-secondary training. It is the mission of FCS to foster productive citizens while building on the cornerstones of integrity, community, accountability, and trust. Located in Rome, Georgia, the school system serves 16 different schools.

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Johnson Elementary School (JES) and Model Elementary School (MES) have been recognized as 2024 winners in the Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS) Award by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA)—a testament to the school’s commitment to academic excellence and student growth.

JES earned two significant distinctions:

• Silver Award in Greatest Gains: Recognizing schools with significant improvement in student achievement over the last three years, as measured by the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).
• Bronze Award in Highest Performing: Honoring schools that consistently exhibit high academic performance.

MES earned one significant distinction: 

• Bronze Award in Greatest Gains: Recognizing schools with significant improvement in student achievement over the last three years, as measured by the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI).

“Our teachers and staff foster a supportive learning environment where we want students to feel valued and motivated to excel,” said JES Principal, April Cummings. “Our collaboration with parents and stakeholders enhances the learning experience for our students. The growth of our students is a collaborative effort, where everyone at JES is invested in success. We are honored by these recognitions and proud to be a part of Floyd County Schools.”

“Model Elementary School is proud to have been awarded the Bronze Award for Greatest Gains from the Governor's Office of Student Achievement,” said Miranda Pryor, MES principal. “ This recognition highlights the significant achievement and growth our students have demonstrated academically as they consistently pursue knowledge and personal development. Our dedicated teachers and staff have put in tremendous effort to emphasize academic success and nurture a passion for learning among our students. We remain devoted to maintaining high standards of academic excellence and are thrilled to receive this acknowledgment of the efforts of our students and staff.”

The SSAS Awards are part of GOSA’s effort to celebrate schools making strides in student progress and performance. Schools receiving these awards are among the highest-achieving and fastest-improving in Georgia. More information can be found here. 

*The information for JES was initially released last Thursday, but we were informed on Friday that the list had been updated and would be re-released this week. The current release reflects these updates, which include MES*

About Floyd County Schools

The Floyd County School (FloydBoe.net) system provides opportunities for schools and students to achieve academic excellence. Floyd County teachers focus on academic basics mixed with innovative teaching methods to build a strong foundation for student learning. In Floyd County Schools, the academic programs are available to prepare students for the most demanding college, university, technical college, or other post-secondary training. It is the mission of FCS to foster productive citizens while building on the cornerstones of integrity, community, accountability, and trust. Located in Rome, Georgia, the school system serves 16 different schools.

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Floyd County Schools is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievement of our Floyd County 4-H LifeSmarts team, which traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to compete for the 2025 LifeSmarts National Championship. 

The team earned an impressive third-place finish in the nation, with each member receiving a $750 scholarship for their accomplishments.

The team was led by Head Coach Phyllis Allee, a dedicated Floyd County Schools employee and 4-H volunteer, who was honored as one of the National LifeSmarts Coaches of the Year. Allee’s leadership​ and support from 4H Assistant Coach Abbie Salmon were instrumental in the team’s success.

Among the standout students was Armuchee High’s Elan McClain, who served as Team Captain and placed second nationally on his assessment in the Technology category. Abigail Moon, a junior from Model High, contributed to the team’s exceptional performance throughout the contest. 

In addition to their academic achievements, the team’s creative entry in the LifeSmarts TikTok Challenge placed them in the top 10 ​nationally.

The team, consisting of Elan McClain, Abigail Moon, and other students from the Rome-Floyd County area, qualified for the national competition after winning first place at the Georgia 4-H State LifeSmarts Contest earlier this year.

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League that equips high school students with essential knowledge in personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology, workforce preparation, and consumer rights. Now in its 31st year, the program has educated over a million students nationwide and continues to provide leadership and community service opportunities.

About LifeSmarts

LifeSmarts is a program of the National Consumers League. State coordinators implement the program locally. For more information, visit: LifeSmarts.org, email lifesmarts@nclnet.org. The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. NCL’s mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information about NCL, visit nclnet.org. 

About 4-H

Georgia 4-H enables youth to become excellent citizens by developing necessary life skills, positive relationships, and community awareness. As the largest youth leadership organization in the state, 4-H reaches more than 240,000 people annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities. For more information about how to get involved in 4-H in your community, contact your local University of Georgia County Extension Office or visit www.georgia4h.org.

About Floyd County Schools

The Floyd County School (FloydBoe.net) system provides opportunities for schools and students to achieve academic excellence. Floyd County teachers focus on academic basics mixed with innovative teaching methods to build a strong foundation for student learning. In Floyd County Schools, the academic programs are available to prepare students for the most demanding college, university, technical college or other post-secondary training. It is the mission of FCS to foster productive citizens while building on the cornerstones of integrity, community, accountability, and trust. Located in Rome, Georgia, the school system serves 16 different schools.

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Floyd County Schools (FCS) is excited to announce the winners of the FCS Department of Instructional Technology Recycling STEAM Challenge. 

The challenge was aimed at promoting STEAM and environmental conservation. It invited students to collect recyclable materials and repurpose them in a creative manner to create a new product. 

The Recycling Challenge helped students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, instilled the importance of responsible conservation practices, and allowed a medium to foster their creativity. Additionally, through this challenge, students learned about the positive impact that recycling can have on our planet.

All grades and subject areas were invited to participate in the challenge. Many teachers incorporated this challenge into their everyday classroom lessons, and 78 student projects were submitted for evaluation.

Congratulations to the following students:

Primary School 1st Place: Model of the Solar System- Bailey Timberlake, APS

Elementary School 1st Place: Checkerboard - Maya Kerce, JES

Middle School 1st Place: Poem Interpretation- Ayden Patino, MMS

High School 1st Place: Crochet Coaster, Amaya Lofton, CHS

“Floyd County Schools is committed to enriching everyday teaching and encouraging students to take active roles in creating a more sustainable future for our community,” said Celena Arrington, FCS Director of Instructional Technology and Online Learning. We look forward to continuing the Recycling STEAM Challenge for years to come. Congratulations to our winners!”

The FCS Department of Instructional Technology sponsors STEAM challenges throughout each school year to promote creativity, innovation, and problem-solving in all classrooms. Each STEAM challenge is designed to allow participation in all grades and subject areas. Teachers are provided with resources for incorporating the activities into their curriculum.