Principals to address First Friday

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will host it’s second annual Meet The Principals forum for this month’s First Friday Power Breakfast and Speaker Series event.
The public is invited to attend the meeting, slated for Friday, Aug. 7, from 7 to 9 a.m., at the Jackson County Agriculture Conference Center on Pennsylvania Avenue in Marianna.
All 16 of Jackson County’s school principals will be in attendance. Cottondale Elementary Principal Diane Long, Graceville High Principal Chris Franklin, and Malone High Principal Linda Hall will make presentations on important issues faced by the school system.
This year’s program, entitled “Together We Can Meet the Challenge,” will cover major challenges within the school system:  testing, school grades and school improvement strategies; and perspectives on the state’s new school accountability requirements.
After the presentation, all principals will be on hand for an extended panel discussion and question and answer session.
The first speaker, Diane Long, began her educational career as a teacher in Okaloosa County in 1975. She was hired as a teacher at Cottondale Elementary School in 1977, and her teaching experiences over the next 28 years prepared her to join the Jackson County School Board administrative team as an assistant principal in 2005. Long was named principal of Cottondale Elementary on July 19, 2007. She earned Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Arts degrees, both in elementary education, as well as an education specialist degree in curriculum and instruction, all from the University of West Florida.
The second speaker, Chris Franklin, is a 1992 graduate of Graceville High School, and is now principal of his alma mater. He received an A.A. from Chipola Junior College, a Bachelor of Arts degree in agricultural education from University of Florida, and a master’s degree and education specialist degree in educational leadership from the University of West Florida. Franklin taught agricultural education for eight years prior to becoming an assistant principal. He served as assistant principal at Grand Ridge School and Graceville High School before being promoted to principal of Graceville High School on July 1, 2007.
The third speaker, Linda Hall, was hired as a teacher at Malone School in August 1977. She has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English and reading. With three years prior teaching experience, Linda began her journey with Malone School teaching elementary education, and later became a reading and english teacher. In 1982, she earned an education specialist degree in general education administration from Troy State University, and in 1992 moved into administration as an administrative assistant at Malone School. On July 1, 1995 Hall was named assistant principal of Malone School, and became principal of Malone School on July 1, 2004.
The event is sponsored by   Troy University at Chipola.