Decubellis named at WFES

Galloway elected to chair school board in 2020

  • The Fannin County Board of Education recognized local law enforcement’s hard work and dedication to Fannin County schools for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Thursday, Janaury 9. Shown are, from left, front, Assistant Superintendent Darren Danner, School Resource Officer Tracy Summers, Sherriff Dane Kirby and Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney; back, board members Terry Bramlett, Lewis DeWesse, Chad Galloway, Mike Cole and Bobby Bearden.
    The Fannin County Board of Education recognized local law enforcement’s hard work and dedication to Fannin County schools for National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Thursday, Janaury 9. Shown are, from left, front, Assistant Superintendent Darren Danner, School Resource Officer Tracy Summers, Sherriff Dane Kirby and Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney; back, board members Terry Bramlett, Lewis DeWesse, Chad Galloway, Mike Cole and Bobby Bearden.
  • The Fannin County School System is using SafeSchools Alert as a tool for reporting bullying, initmidation, harrassment, drugs and more.
    The Fannin County School System is using SafeSchools Alert as a tool for reporting bullying, initmidation, harrassment, drugs and more.

    Deborah Decubellis has been named interim assistant principal at West Fannin Elementary School for the remainder of the school year.

    This decision was announced at the Fannin County Board of Education’s meeting Thursday, January 9 following former Assistant Principal Alison Danner’s promotion to the role of principal.

    Decubellis is a retired educator from Florida who has been working at East Fannin Elementary School as a paraprofessional.

    “I’m very excited for this opportunity and I’m looking forward to being here to help Mrs. Danner and get to know all of the children and staff here at West,” she said in a Facebook Live video for the West Fannin community Friday, January 10.

    In other action, the Board of Education voted to name Chad Galloway as chair and Terry Bramlett as vice-chair for the 2020 year.

    “Thank you guys for this privilege and opportunity,” Galloway said. “I’m humbled and grateful that y’all let me sit here. I’m gonna lean on you a bunch but I’m very grateful.”

    Superintendent Dr. Michael Gwatney applauded former Chair Lewis Deweese’s leadership on the board for the past two years stating, “I want to congratulate Mr. Deweese for the chairmanship of this board for the past two years. Thank you sir.”

    Director of Finance Susan Wynn announced that the school system brought in a record SPLOST amount of $574,371.36 for the month of November. In comparison, the system brought in $500,946.90 in November and $515,074.42 in December of last year.

    “We are very blessed,” DeWeese said. “And Bless our chamber (Fannin County Chamber of Commerce).”

    Assistant Superintendent and Director of Facilities & Operations Darren Danner discussed the app the schools have been using to report tips regarding bullying, intimidation, harassment, weapons, drugs and more. The app is called SafeSchools Alert and is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

    “We have some things that have been put to rest very quickly because of this so we hope it continues,” Danner said. “As soon as you click it, boom, you’re ready to start to put in and alert of some sort. If you see something online or on Facebook at night and you want to let us know about it, even if its a two o’clock in the morning, send it and it’s going to send certain people emails.”

    Tips can also be reported online at http://1785.alert1.us. The school system’s code is 1785 and all tips remain can remain anonymous.

    “The best information that we can get is going to be from the kids,” Danner said. “You know, they’re on the front lines, so to speak. They see what’s happening, they know what’s going on, so we want them to report things. We want teachers, we want parents, we want everybody to report thins if they see something or hear something.”