5 Columbus schools to get a new assistant principal if Muscogee board approves
Five schools in Columbus will have new assistant principals if the Muscogee County School District Board approves their appointments during its next meeting.
Superintendent David Lewis is scheduled to ask the board to vote June 29 on:
- Lindy Dunn to be assistant principal at Aaron Cohn Middle School
- Vanita Pharrams to be assistant principal at Allen Elementary School
- Alan Miller to be an assistant principal at Carver High School
- Roxanne Jarrett to be an assistant principal at Eddy Middle School
- Jermaine Coleman to be an assistant principal at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.
Lewis, while answering the Ledger-Enquirer’s request to explain why those positions need to be filled, emailed the following information:
Dunn would replace Rebecca Barden, who resigned. Pharrams would replace Charles Freeman, who was transferred to be assistant principal at Davis Elementary School. Miller would replace Chasity Boyd, who was transferred to be assistant principal at Marshall Success Center. Jarrett would replace Michelle Crooks, who resigned. Coleman would replace Draveious Hurston-White, who was promoted in April to succeed the retiring Jacqueline Flakes as principal of Key Elementary School.
Here is background information about the recommended appointees, according to their resumes attached to the meeting’s agenda:
Lindy Dunn
Dunn has been an educator for 18 years, including as MCSD’s test coordinator since 2022.
She began her career as a math, science and social studies teacher in middle school (2008-16). Then she worked as an academic dean (2016-22).
Dunn earned two college degrees from Columbus State University: a bachelor’s in middle grades education (2008) and a master’s in teacher leadership (2016). She also earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia College & State University (2022).
Vanita Pharrams
Pharrams has been an educator for 24 years, including as principal of Mount Olive Intermediate School since 2020 in Russell County, where she retired as the end of this school year.
She began her career as a second-grade teacher at Sherwood Elementary School in Phenix City (2001-02). Then she was a third-grade teacher at Lakewood Elementary School in Phenix City (2002-12).
Pharrams worked as an intervention teacher at Lakewood (2012-13) before becoming an instructional coach at Ridgecrest Elementary School in Phenix City (2013-16) and a reading specialist at Phenix City Elementary School (2016-19).
She moved into administration as assistant principal for Mount Olive Primary and Intermediate Schools (2019-20).
Pharrams earned four college degrees from Troy State University: a bachelor’s in collaborative special education (2001), a bachelor’s in elementary education (2001), a master’s in elementary education (2004) and a specialist’s in elementary education (2007).
She also earned a doctorate in administration of supervision and curriculum from Auburn University (2016) and a master’s certificate in instructional leadership from Auburn (2019).
Alan Miller
Miller served for four years (1991-95) in the U.S. Army, where he was a sergeant and calvary scout in the 82nd Airborne Division, stationed at Fort Bragg and in South Korea.
He has been an educator for 29 years, including as assistant superintendent for Ozark City Schools since 2023. He also has been an adjunct professor of education at Auburn University since 2009 and AU-Montgomery since 2020.
Miller began his career in education as a long-term substitute teacher at Bay Minette Elementary School in 1997. He was a resource teacher in special education for the Russell County School District (1997-99), a clinic supervisor for student teachers at Auburn University (1999-2001), a learning specialist for Lanett City Schools (1999-2001), a special-education teacher for Opelika City Schools (2001-02), a principal for Eufaula City Schools (2002-04), the exceptional students coordinator for Eufaula City Schools (2004-06), the student services director for Eufaula City Schools (2006-12), the superintendent of Haleyville City Schools (2012-17), an assistant professor of instructional leadership at AU-Montgomery (2017-18), the department head and counselor for leadership & special education at AU-Montgomery (2018-20), the special services director for Phenix City Schools (2020-22) and the personnel director for Phenix City Schools (2022-23).
He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and psychology from Auburn (1990), a master’s degree in special education from Troy University (1997) and a doctorate in special education, rehabilitation and school administration from Auburn (2009).
Roxanne Jarrett
Jarrett has been an educator for 14 years, including as discipline dean at Jordan Vocational High School since 2024.
Her resume doesn’t mention where she began her career, but she lists the following previous positions: English department chair at Carver High School (2016-21), interim academic dean at Carver (2020-21), Advanced Placement coordinator and academic coach at Carver (2021-24) and PBIS coach at Jordan (2024-25).
Jarrett earned four college degrees from Columbus State University: a bachelor’s in English and literature (2009), a master’s in teaching (2015), a specialist’s in secondary English education (2018) and a master’s in public administration (2012). She also earned Educational Leadership Tier I Certification from CSU (2023).
