New Beaverdale Elementary School principal knows the importance of building relationships

Aug. 26—"Helping kids learn is a rush you can't get from anything else," said Rena Graham, Beaverdale Elementary School's new principal.

Graham was initially pre-med in college, but due to encouragement of friends who "thought I'd be good at" teaching, she took a few education courses and observed classrooms, she said. "I was hooked, because every day was different."

"The kids want to see you and talk to you," said Graham, who was assistant principal at Pleasant Grove Elementary School the past two years. "I really enjoyed it."

Whitfield County Schools had four principal positions open for the 2022-23 school year and Beaverdale was the one Graham wanted, so "I'm so excited about it," she said. Beaverdale was on the top of her list because of the school's large special education population, as "that's where my heart is, and I'm very passionate about it."

"I'm drawn to those kiddos, the types that need the most (attention) and advocacy," said Graham, who was assistant principal at Valley Point Elementary School for three years before moving to Pleasant Grove. "Sometimes, even the parents don't know how to advocate for them properly."

Graham began her teaching career in Whitfield County Schools at Antioch Elementary School where she taught math for grades four and five, and that's where her interest in special education students began, she said.

"My first year of teaching I saw I'd have to accommodate for (those students) and educate myself on ways to teach them, (which) made me a stronger, better teacher" for all students.

Whitfield County Schools' approach to special education has improved considerably during her decades in the system, she said.

"We've gotten a lot better at determining what their specific needs are, and that stems from the evaluations."

"We're really focused on their individual needs," she said. "When I started, I didn't know the exact needs of every kid, but, now, you know exactly what they need from their IEP (Individualized Education Program) that is so, so specific."

'Change agent'

As much as she enjoyed classroom teaching, Graham believed she could be a "more effective change agent from the principal seat."

"I'd taken on leadership roles, like lead teacher, and helped lead committees in school," she said. From "fabulous administrators" at Antioch Elementary like Lisa Jones (now director of elementary curriculum for the school system) and Denise Pendley (now principal at Southeast Whitfield High School), Graham "saw what you can do from that seat, and I wanted to do that."

From Jones, Pendley and others Graham discovered the importance of building relationships with staff members.

"If they know they're supported and loved, they will do everything they can to meet your expectations, and that will be best for the kids in the building," she said. "You do that by talking to people — something I'm a natural at — and I like to get to know people."

Graham made sure to visit Beaverdale before staff left for the summer to "do a meet-and-greet" and establish rapport, she said. "It's a family-oriented culture here in the school and in the community where teachers are close to — and supportive of — one another."

"They work hard to get to know not only the students, but the families — their needs and wants — and I'm looking forward to being part of this family," Graham said. "I want to get to know the vision of this school and help them get there."

Building 'equity'

Building ample "equity" with students and families is also important for a principal, Graham learned from her principal at Pleasant Grove, Tim Wright.

"That was one of 'Tim's Tips,' and he was 100% correct," she said.

As assistant principal, student discipline was part of Graham's responsibilities, and "if you had built equity with people it was a lot easier to call them about something discipline-wise, because they were more trusting of you, they understood where you're coming from, and that you have the best interests of students at heart."

Graham "was a wonderful partner for me at Pleasant Grove, I learned lots from her and the experiences she brought from her background, and I hope she learned some things from me, as well," Wright said. "I know she's going to take all of that and help Beaverdale keep moving forward and thrive."

"Rena is uniquely qualified and ready to be a principal because not only does she have a heart for kids and their families, but she has a heart for teachers, as well," Wright added. "We're super excited for her and her new Wildcat family."

A life in Whitfield County Schools

Graham grew up in Cohutta, attended Cohutta Elementary School and North Whitfield Middle School, and graduated from Northwest Whitfield High School in 1999. She's a University of West Georgia alumna, she obtained her master's and education specialist degrees from Lincoln Memorial University, and she "should be finished in December" with her doctorate in school improvement from West Georgia.

"I feel like I'm paying (Whitfield County Schools) back for the education I got," Graham said of spending her career in the system. "I had phenomenal teachers, some of whom I've stayed in contact with, I love Whitfield County, and I'm proud to work in Whitfield County Schools, where they really do look at the whole child."

Graham and Wright "had fun working to create a positive atmosphere for our kids and staff members in the midst of so much uncertainty the last two years," said Wright. "While there's always more that needs to be done in the coming years, we feel like we accomplished the things we set out to do both for academic achievement and school culture."

When not at school, Graham "loves to travel, go to live concerts, read — it's been mostly research articles lately — and throw parties for family and friends," she said. Graham and her husband of 16 years, Anthony, went to Europe this summer, and they recently saw Ben Harper and Ziggy Marley perform at Colorado's famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre, "an amazing, stellar venue."

Graham replaces Robb Kittle, who is now director of human resources for Whitfield County Schools, and she wants Beaverdale to be a place where "we care about kids, of course, but also about families," she said. "We want what is best for them, both now and in the long run."

Kittle is "honored to hand off the (principal) gavel to (Graham)," he said. "We're very excited for her to be (principal) at Beaverdale."