| Monday, June 17, 2002
New principal ready for Centennial By Jeff Gill
She was teaching fourth grade and Whitaker’s son Jeff was in her class. Little did Gilliam know that she would end up spending half her career working under Whitaker and eventually taking her place. Gilliam, assistant principal of Centennial Elementary School, will become the school’s second principal on July 1. Whitaker, who is retiring, has been Centennial’s principal since the school opened in 1992. “I expect her not to miss a beat,” Whitaker said. “She’s been
a wonderful assistant principal for two years and a classroom teacher here.
She knows the curriculum up one side and down the other and she has the
leadership skills to take over in the position.”
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| Gilliam, 52, grew up in Atlanta and went on to the University of Georgia
to earn her bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees in education.
She found inspiration for the career in her younger sister. “I was always teaching her and I loved it,” said Gilliam, who first considered nursing as a field. “ ... I knew I wanted to do something to help other people.” Gilliam’s first job was teaching sixth-graders in Athens. While she taught, her husband Steve attended law school at UGA. After he graduated, the couple began considering a place suitable to raise a family. They ruled out Atlanta, opting for a smaller community. “We visited several areas and fell in love with Gainesville,” Gilliam said. |
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Her first job in the system was as a fourth-grade teacher at Enota Elementary. Whitaker became principal of the school in 1986 and when she decided to leave to open Centennial, Gilliam followed. Gilliam has worked in education for 28 years, 25 in Gainesville and three in Athens. In her years in the classroom, she taught kindergarten through sixth grade. As principal, she will oversee a school that is expected to grow to 800 students from 670, introduce a new reading program and make the transition to an arts-infusion school. In 2003-04, the city plans to expand to five elementary schools from three (a result of growth) and start theme-based programs at each of the schools. Gilliam said she wants to “involve families more in education, as well as (students’) younger siblings who will come in the school system and child-care centers.” “Plus, we will have a lot of professional development (for teachers),” Gilliam said. Gilliam will differ from Whitaker in at least one way. “I have no plans to get a doctorate,” she said. “I have more than
enough to keep me busy.”
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Susan
Gilliam first met Shirley Whitaker in her first job.