Muscogee County principal leaving position to lead another Columbus school
A Muscogee County public school principal will leave the position to lead a Columbus private school.
Richard Green, the first and only principal of Aaron Cohn Middle School since it opened in 2013, will be the next head of St. Luke School, starting July 1.
Green will succeed Bill Shelnutt, who will leave St. Luke to be head of Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, beginning in July, the L-E reported in September.
The announcement came Friday in an email to the “St. Luke Family” from three of its leaders: the Rev. Robert Beckum, senior pastor of St. Luke Church; Andy Hidle, chairman of the St. Luke School Trustees; and Brandon Peak, chairman of the search committee.
“Richard was selected from an impressive group of three finalists chosen through a nationwide search,” they said.
Beckum added in the email, “We are grateful to welcome a proven leader in Richard Green. His dedication to students, faculty and families, administrative experience, energy, integrity and passion for Christian education is evident. Richard’s established track record as an administrator and reputation in our community are second to none.”
Aaron Cohn not only has the highest score on the state’s most recent report card among the Muscogee County School District’s 12 middle schools, but it also is among the four MCSD middle schools designated as a “Beating the Odds” school by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. That means, compared to Georgia schools with similar demographics, it performs better than expected.
Compared statewide, Aaron Cohn’s overall performance is better than 73% of Georgia’s public schools, and its student academic growth is better than 97% of them, while 19% of its students are considered economically disadvantaged, according to GOSA’s most recent report.
Aaron Cohn has 575 students in grades 6-8. St. Luke has 563 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade.
In a phone interview Monday with the Ledger-Enquirer, Green explained his reasoning for going from Aaron Cohn to St. Luke.
“For me to be eligible for retirement and this to be open at the same time,” he said, “it’s divine.”
At the end of this school year, Green will be fully vested in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia with 30 years as a public educator in the state. So he can draw full retirement benefits and still make a positive impact on children by working as an educational leader at a school outside the state’s system.
“I’m not moving my family, so my opportunities were going to be in Columbus,” he said. “… It’s an opportunity to go to another school that’s got a great reputation. It’s a great opportunity that might not be there at another time.”
And it’s where he is allowed to share his Christian beliefs.
“I won’t have to worry about openly expressing my faith,” he said. “… As opposed to public school in Alabama or other private schools that are not faith-based, God is the center of the school, and that makes it much more attractive.”
Green, 51, previously was principal, assistant principal and a special-education teacher at Midland Middle School after teaching at LaGrange, Shaw and Columbus high schools.
He is a native of Richland and graduated from Tri-County High School in 1987. He earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from Columbus College, a master’s degree in physical education from Troy State University and specialist’s degree in educational leadership from Albany State University.
Green emphasized he isn’t dissatisfied with working at Aaron Cohn or MCSD. He praised superintendent David Lewis.
“He is tremendously supportive,” Green said. “… He’s been the best leader we’ve had, and I am extremely appreciative of everything he has done for us here and me personally.”
Green said it’s been “an honor” and “a joy” to serve the Aaron Cohn community and MCSD.
“This place is not a workplace; it’s a home,” he said of the school. “It’s felt like that for me. Hopefully, we have created that feeling for people to a small degree, where they feel like they are at home, whether they are a student, faculty member or parent.”
Lewis told the L-E via email, “Mr. Green is a highly respected, consummate professional. He has effectively led the Aaron Cohn Middle School community since its inception and will certainly be missed. I wish him well in his retirement from the MCSD as well as in his new position.”
Asked who will be Aaron Cohn’s next principal, Lewis said, “We will pursue the hiring process with the due diligence required to ensure that we recommend a high quality professional to lead the Aaron Cohn School community.”
This story was originally published February 10, 2020 at 9:59 AM.
