BY CAROL MOSLEY
Special to the Telegraph
Brooker Community School is preparing for the new school year with lots of changes in the works, including the addition of sixth grade.
The charter school also hopes to add voluntary prekindergarten.
Enrollment is twice that of last year with about 80 students expected this year thanks to recruitment efforts. As a public charter school, students from any area are eligible.
The biggest change was saying goodbye to outgoing principal Felicia Moss and welcoming incoming principal Thomas Lashley.
Charter School Board Chair Suzanne McRee sent an email notice to staff that Moss decided not to renew her contract. She thanked Moss, “the Founding principal of our beloved Brooker Community School.” She went on to say that Moss “had the challenge of building the train as we go along and has been able to set up systems that will carry us forward into the coming years.”
Lashley is excited to fill the spot as the new principal. He grew up in Live Oak, went to college in Georgia and got his doctorate degree in Educational leadership and policy from Florida State University, with a research focus in early literacy practices.
Lashley has been an educator and administrator at all levels, including college. He owned a tutoring company at one time. He played sports in his early years and has been a varsity level football, baseball and softball coach. Lashley is even a published author of two suspense novels.
Lashley was given a meet and greet welcome at Belle Oaks Barn in Brooker. He was accompanied by his wife, Laura, and other family members. The Lashleys have six grown children.
Returning teachers and staff, as well as the board members and community volunteers joined in the event. Lashley said it is the community support for the school that drew him to apply for the open position. He’s never seen a community so determined to have a local school and so engaged in its operations.
New to the board is former student and frequent volunteer, John Eagle. He hopes to share his talents in the field of photo and video production as an opportunity for the students.
Registration is open and the first day of school is Aug. 12.
