Gerry is a graduate of George County High School; Class of 1994, and he is a retired Army aviator with

over 30 years of leadership experience. Gerry has worked for the district since moving back home in

2019 and currently serves as the Senior Army Instructor for the GCHS JROTC program. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership both from Liberty University and is currently enrolled in the Doctorate of Educational Leadership program with Arkansas State University. Gerry is married to the former Ms. Jacqueline West and has six children and five grandchildren.

Molly Hare is a dedicated 10th grade English Language Arts teacher with three years of experience, all of which have been spent within the George County School District. Raised in Lucedale, Mississippi, Mrs. Hare is proud to teach at her alma mater, George County High School. Her personal and professional goals include completing a Master of Education in Secondary Education at William Carey University, helping her students achieve their highest potential, and fostering a classroom environment where every student feels welcomed and supported. She is thrilled and honored to be part of the Leadership Academy for the 2024-2025 school year.

Ouida McDaniel is an 8 th grade history teacher at George County Middle School.

She has been teaching for ten years. Mrs. McDaniel is a 2013 graduate of the University of South Alabama with a bachelor’s degree of Secondary Education in Social Sciences. She has been the history department lead for four years. She has also been a Student Council sponsor and was the George County Middle School Dance Team sponsor for ten years. Mrs. McDaniel has led student travel groups who have visited New York City, Washington D.C. and Boston. She has participated in many professional development seminars that helped to improve her teacher craft (Teaching with Primary Sources-Mississippi, Teaching American History Seminars). Mrs. McDaniel hopes to

continue to serve the students of George County in the classroom and beyond.

Amber Parnell began working for GCSD in 2010 as an elementary classroom teacher, and began as the Agricola Elementary School librarian in 2016. During her career as a classroom teacher and a school librarian, she has worked as a team leader and mentor teacher.  In 2020, she earned her Masters of Library and Information Science degree from USM. She is dedicated to reading aloud to students of all ages in an effort to instill a love of literature, and is diligent in teaching them how to efficiently use the library as well as digital resources that are relevant to 21st Century students. As the librarian, Mrs. Parnell has raised over $11,000 through various grants and book donations. It is a core belief that all students deserve quality resources which allow students to experience the world beyond their rural community. 

Mrs. Shannon Staton teaches kindergarten at Central Elementary School. She has 22 years of experience teaching  kindergarten, first, third, and fifth grades. Mrs. Staton received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2001 and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education in 2013 from William Carey University.  During her teaching career, she has been a grade-level chairperson, a mentor teacher to new teachers, the sponsor of our Tiger Choir, a Steering Committee Member for the MDE Initiative Grant, and a member of the BLT (Building Leadership Team).  Mrs. Staton loves to watch young children grow into confident, eager learners.  She plans to pursue a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership to help guide new teachers as a literacy coach and/or lead teacher.     

Mrs. VanVleck is a student focused education professional with fifteen years of demonstrated experience in helping students to learn and achieve academic success in English Language Arts. She is currently in her first year as the George County Middle School Library Media Specialist who is responsible for utilizing all system materials and maintaining the integrity of the library collection to ensure the library collection’s availability to all patrons. She exhibits strong instructional skills and classroom/ library management strategies combined with expert knowledge of subject content and a solid understanding of connecting core content to real-world applications. She is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and pleasant library atmosphere that includes a well maintained and updated collection of materials for student and teacher use. Her career goal is to create a passion for achievement in young people and nurture the desire to be successful through adulthood.

Alison McCardle is a 2nd-grade teacher at Agricola Elementary School.  She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in May 2012 with her Bachelor’s Degree.  In May 2024, she graduated from William Carey University with a Master’s in Educational Leadership and her Administrative license.  This year marks McCardle’s 15th year in education; she began as a teacher’s assistant at L.T. Taylor in 2009, working in a self contained Special Education classroom.  She started her career at L.T Taylor as an Inclusion Special Education teacher for grades 5th and 6th.  She then took a position at Agricola Elementary, serving as a 3rd-grade math teacher, 5th-grade math teacher, and Kindergarten teacher for 8 years.  Alison is overseeing Agricola's professional development plan and helping teachers earn continuing education credits (CEUs) through William Carey University.  

She has been married to Jeffrey for 21 years and has two children, Chandler, 18, and Kelsey, 16. The highlight of her career is watching her students learn to read and grow each year.  

Alicia Mitchell has been employed with George County School District since 2004. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2002.  Mrs. Mitchell taught 5th and 6th grade language arts for fourteen years before transitioning to Behavior Interventionist at Agricola Elementary School. In 2019, she earned a Master’s degree in Professional School Counseling from the University of Southern Mississippi. She received her National Board-Certified School Counselor certification in 2021 and is currently the counselor at Agricola Elementary School and L.T. Taylor Intermediate School. During her career, she has served as a mentor teacher, mentor counselor, and assistant school test coordinator. 

Danielle Hall is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in early childhood education and family services. She holds two Master’s Degrees—one in Human Services with a specialization in Marriage and Family and another in Early Childhood Education, with various supplemental endorsements on her license to teach in MS. Currently , she is pursuing her Specialist Degree in Instructional Leadership from William Carey University in Mississippi. As the Southern Early Childhood Coach for the Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Early Childhood, Danielle collaborates with the  George County Early Learning Collaborative to provide diverse coaching opportunities, while enhancing developmentally appropriate practices in classrooms. With over 16 years of experience in Head Start and a background as a Kindergarten teacher, she has been committed to working with children and families for more than 20 years. Danielle's enthusiasm for early childhood education drives her passion for supporting educators in their professional growth.

With over 22 years experience in education, Brandi Dement is currently a 4th grade math teacher at Central Elementary.  She received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2001, and her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from William Carey University  in 2013.   Brandi was named Central Elementary’s Teacher of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year.  That same year, she was also chosen as George County’s District Teacher of the Year.  During her teaching career, Brandi has served on many committees at her school, served as grade level chairperson, and led Professional Learning Communities for the math team.  She currently serves on the Building Leadership Team and works closely with her administrators in various leadership roles.  Throughout her career, she has worked with diverse student groups adapting her teaching style to meet the unique needs of each learner.  Her goal as an educator is to inspire students to achieve their potential and equip them with the tools needed to succeed both academically and in life. Ms. Dement plans to pursue a Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership. 

Malorie Rogers received a dual certification degree in Elementary and Special Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. Ms. Rogers has been a Special Education teacher for George County School District since 2010. For eight of those years, she served as a Special Education IEP Team Leader and mentor teacher to other teachers in the Special Education field. Ms. Rogers plans to continue her education by pursuing a degree in Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Her interest in this field grew from her hands-on experience working with students at The Autism Center of North Mississippi. She

then furthered her knowledge of behavioral challenges by receiving training in the field of behavior analysis. Aside from student success, Ms. Rogers’ most memorable achievement was being selected Employee of the Month in 2022.

Barry currently serves as an English Language Arts teacher at Agricola Elementary School. In his role as an educator, he believes that empowering student voice through writing is a crucial part of an effective practice. By strengthening the written communication skills of all students, they are equipped with one of the most important foundational skills for success in life, both in and out of the classroom. Barry’s background includes work in Special Education and as an Interventionist at both elementary and middle school levels. 

He also works as a teacher consultant with the South Mississippi Writing Project which has given him access to grow professionally and personally through a variety of different local and national opportunities. His degrees include a Bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of South Alabama with a minor in American History. He received his teacher certification from the University of Mississippi as part of the Teach Mississippi Institute.

Barry spends his time away from the classroom reading, writing, rewatching episodes of Firefly, and spending time with his awe inspiring wife and two beautiful children.