New principals picked to lead 2 Atlanta high schools, middle school

Sylvan Hills Middle School Principal Artesza Portee (left)  will be the next Douglass High School principal. AJC file photo.  Bob Andres / robert.andres@ajc.com

Credit: Bob Andres

Credit: Bob Andres

Sylvan Hills Middle School Principal Artesza Portee (left) will be the next Douglass High School principal. AJC file photo. Bob Andres / robert.andres@ajc.com

New principals have been named to lead three Atlanta schools.

All three of the incoming principals have worked for Atlanta Public Schools before, including two who currently hold leadership roles at other schools within the district.

Artesza Portee, the principal of Sylvan Hills Middle School in Atlanta since 2011, will be the next Douglass High School leader. He holds an educational specialist degree in leadership from Jacksonville State University and a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of South Florida.

Portee will take over at Douglass High on July 1, following the resignation of Principal Ellis Duncan, according to district personnel records.

Christina Rogers will be the next principal of Carver Early College. She has been the assistant principal at Therrell High School in Atlanta since 2017. Rogers has educational specialist degrees from the University of West Georgia and Georgia State University, where she also earned a master’s degree in secondary English.

Marcene Thornton is retiring June 30 as Carver Early College principal, records show.

Ramon Garner has been named the next principal of John Lewis Invictus Academy, a middle school in northwest Atlanta. Since 2014, he has been an assistant principal at Banneker High School in Fulton County Schools. Earlier in his career, he held several different positions within Atlanta Public Schools, including at Forrest Hill Academy and B.E.S.T. Academy.

Garner has an educational specialist degree from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in higher education administration from Troy State University in Alabama.

His appointment follows the resignation of academy principal Gregory Parks, according to district records.

The principal appointments were formalized at a school board meeting this month.