Decatur Schools hires two new principals

Dr. Kimberly Watson is the new principal at Decatur’s Westchester Elementary

Dr. Kimberly Watson is the new principal at Decatur’s Westchester Elementary

City Schools of Decatur announced the hiring of Dr. Kimberly Watson as the new principal at Westchester Elementary and Dr. Holly Brookins to head up Glennwood Elementary.

They replace Rochelle Lofstrand and Kristy Bream respectively. Lofstrand is the new Decatur High principal and Beam is now CSD’s new Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Watson is moving from Chicago where she’s currently head of the middle school campus at the Ogden International School of Chicago. Her career covers the spectrum from teaching assistant right through to teacher and administrator at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Organization and Leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Brookins has been an educator for more than 20 years in South Carolina, Fulton County and Atlanta Public Schools. With a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Mercer University Brookins most recently was the program administrator at the Morningside Elementary Kindergarten Center.

CSD has one major staff opening remaining in Executive Director of Operations. Executive Director of Schools Dr. Maggie Fehrman said this week four candidates have been selected for interviews from 42 candidates and anticipates a final decision coming later this month.

The position was previously held by Noel Maloof, who left in late March to become deputy chief operations officer in DeKalb County.