The Habersham County Board of Education is once again looking to fill a top administrative position at Cornelia Elementary School. Assistant Principal Beverly Benfield is retiring and the Habersham County Board of Education voted Tuesday morning to accept her resignation. Benfield, a native of Habersham County and graduate of Habersham Central High School, is a former teacher and coach. She worked at Baldwin Elementary School prior to moving to Cornelia Elementary.
During Monday’s BOE meeting, Habersham County School Superintendent Matthew Cooper publicly thanked Benfield for her many years of service to the school system, which she “gave with pride.”
“She has been very committed,” he said, “…and we wish her the best.”
Benfield’s last day is July 1st. The search is now underway for her successor.
Benfield is the second top administrator to leave Cornelia Elementary School this year. Dr. Renee Pryor – who was principal at the school for seven years – was promoted in May to a job in the school system’s central office. She officially moves into her new job July 1st.
The new principal of Cornelia Elementary will be Amy McCurdy. She was approved by the Board of Education on April 20. She and her family have moved to Habersham County. Superintendent Cooper said that McCurdy came from Virginia, where she was principal of Prince Edward County Elementary School. Before that, she was assistant principal in Gwinnett County at an elementary school that at one time was the largest elementary school in the nation, he said.
McCurdy’s experience as a leader in two other school systems “will serve her well in this new position,” Cooper stated. In addition, her “experience working with a large English Language Learner population” is another asset.
“She is going to be a great fit at Cornelia Elementary School,” he added.
She officially begins as principal of the school in mid-July.
