6 Columbus schools to get new assistant principals if Muscogee board votes yes
Six public schools in Columbus will have new assistant principals next school year if the Muscogee County School District Board approves the superintendent’s recommendations next week.
During its May 18 meeting, the board is scheduled to vote on Superintendent David Lewis’ recommended appointments of these educators as new assistant principals:
- Carra Beyma at North Columbus Elementary School
- Gary Deloach at Hannan Elementary School
- Kristopher Maguire at Midland Middle School
- Ashton Brady at Veterans Memorial Middle School
- Malissa Jones at Carver High School
- LaJoyce Sanders at Spencer High School.
The meeting’s agenda doesn’t say why those positions are available and what happened or will happen to the most recent assistant principals in those jobs.
Here’s background information about each recommended candidate, based on the agenda and their resumes:
Carra Beyma
Beyma has been an educator for nine years, all in MCSD, including as academic dean at North Columbus and Wesley Heights Elementary School since 2024.
She taught second grade and third grade at North Columbus from 2017-24.
Beyma earned educational leadership certification from the University of West Georgia in 2023, a specialist’s degree in early childhood education from Georgia Southwestern University in 2020, a master’s degree in early childhood education from Walden University in 2018 and a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Columbus State University in 2017.
Gary Deloach
Deloach has been an educator for 15 years, all in MCSD, including as a K-5 mathematics content specialist since 2021.
He started as a substitute teacher in 2011, taught seventh-grade math and social studies at Blackmon Road Middle School from 2011-12 and fifth grade at North Columbus Elementary School from 2012-21.
Deloach earned three degrees from Columbus State University: a specialist’s in educational leadership in 2017, a master’s in middle grades education in 2013 and a bachelor’s in middle grades education in 2010.
Kristopher Maguire
Maguire has been an educator for 20 years, all but one in the Columbus area, including as head of the middle school at Brookstone School since 2022.
He taught math at Central High School in Phenix City from 2006-07, at Hardaway High School from 2007-16 and at Brookstone from 2016-19. Then he moved into administration as assistant head of Brookstone’s middle school from 2019-22.
Before he became an educator, Maguire worked as a systems software analyst at TSYS from 2003-06.
Maguire earned a doctorate of education in administrative leadership form Walden University in 2011, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Columbus State University in 2008 and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from CSU in 2003.
Ashton Brady
Brady has been an educator for 10 years, including as an assistant principal for Christian County Public Schools in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, since 2024.
She taught middle-school math in Falcon, Colorado, from 2016-17, in Phenix City from 2017-18 and in Chattahoochee County from 2018-20. Then she taught fourth grade at Nittany Christian School in State College, Pennsylvania, from 2020-22 before moving into administration as an assistant principal for the Keystone Central School District in Mill Hall, Pennsylvania, from 2022-23 and for Fort Leavenworth Schools in Kansas from 2023-24.
Brady earned two degrees from Grand Canyon University: a master’s in educational leadership and a bachelor’s in secondary education.
Malissa Jones
Jones has been an educator for nine years, all in MCSD, including the past three years as a teacher quality specialist.
She taught science at Jordan Vocational High School from 2017-23.
Jones earned two specialist’s degrees: one in instructional technology from Kennesaw State University, the other in teaching and learning from Argosy University. She earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Strayer University and a bachelor’s degree in science from Xavier University of Louisiana.
LaJoyce Sanders
Sanders has been an educator for 27 years, all in MCSD, including as an academic coach since 2023.
She taught science in MCSD from 1999-23. Her resume doesn’t specify which schools.
Sanders earned educational leadership certification from the University of West Georgia in 2025. She earned three degrees from Columbus State University: a specialist’s in science education, a master’s in general science and a bachelor’s in biology.
