Carroll Academy’s new headmaster has a familiar face.
Penny Mitchell, who has served as the school’s guidance counselor since 2013, is stepping into the new role for the 2018-19 school year. Her predecessor, Bo Milton, will remain at the school as a high school history teacher and head football coach.
This is Mitchell’s first job as a headmaster. She began her career 28 years ago at Calhoun Academy. After earning her master’s degree, she went to Brookhaven Academy, where she worked for 13 years. She was at Kirk Academy before coming to Carroll Academy.
“I’ve coached. I’ve taught. I’ve been a guidance counselor. I’ve done a little bit of all of it,” said Mitchell, who is from Duck Hill.
For 26 years of her career in education, Mitchell has been a guidance counselor and said she learned about administrative duties during that time.
“In that role, you work closely with the headmasters,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot from watching them and seeing all the things they did, so it helps to guide me in the right way.”
The first full day of school for Carroll Academy is Aug. 6. Students in grades 6-12 will come to school on Aug. 3 to pick up schedules. An open house will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 5, which will also be a time for elementary students to drop off school supplies.
New this year, Carroll County will incorporate a thumbprint system for its cafeteria. Mitchell said the system will be a more efficient — and cashless — way to go through the lunch line.
“To my understanding — and we’re still learning this, too — parents will be able to put money on an account, so they won’t have to worry about sending money,” said Mitchell. “Kids will just use their thumbprint.”
Carroll Academy is working with Central Holmes Christian School, which has already implemented the system.
“The headmaster (of Central Holmes) has been really helpful and said we could come meet with them and they could show us some things,” said Mitchell. “He said they really like it.”
Taking Mitchell’s spot as guidance counselor is Carla Rogers, who taught art history during the last school year. In her new position, Rogers is starting a family life education class, which will focus on nutrition and other home-ec areas and will be offered to juniors and seniors.
The elementary school will have a new principal, Nathan Moncrief, who is coming from Kirk Academy. Moncrief will also serve as the new baseball coach.
A former Carroll Academy teacher, Zona Pilgreen, will return to the school to teach fourth- and fifth-grade reading and spelling.
Academically, everything will be mostly the same, Mitchell said.
The high school computer lab will feature new computers this school year. The money used to purchase the computers was donated by the school’s TPA (Teacher-Parent Association).
“That’s a big plus, and we’re excited about that because that’s something that has been needed,” said Mitchell. “We really appreciate that donation. The TPA helps us out a lot.”
The school not only focuses on academic education, but also spiritual education.
“We are blessed to be able to present the Gospel and have chapel, and we want to continue that and add some things to it,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell also hopes to build up the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“Our FCA area director is working with us, so we’re going to try to do some things and incorporate the community and try to pull us all together even closer than we already are,” she said.
Mitchell said one of her main hopes for the new school year is to continue to improve the students’ education.
“Education is one of those things that is constantly changing, and our challenge as teachers and administrators is to be able to meet that change and incorporate it into the classroom the best we can in a way that will help our students,” she said.
“Our goal is to make sure our kids know academically what’s ahead of them and for them to prepare for that and to just to encourage them in their walk with the Lord to get stronger each and every day.”
•Contact Ruthie Robison at 581-7233 or rrobison@gwcommonwealth.com.
