New school's leader selected

Stallings Island Middle School has a new principal, and the high school that is scheduled to open in 2009 has school colors and a mascot.

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During its meeting Tuesday, the Columbia County school board selected Don Putnam, the Riverside Middle School principal, to head Stallings Island.

The board also selected red, white, blue and silver as the colors for the high school under construction on Chamblin Road.

The school's mascot will be the Warriors.

"At this time we do not identify what that 'Warrior' will look like," Superintendent Charles Nagle said.

He said that decision will be left up to the staff and principal at the new school. The board will discuss names for the high school next month.

Even though Stallings Island will not open until August, the school will have some familiarity for the new principal.

"Most of the people going there will be people that I've been serving for the last six years," Putnam said.

About 400 pupils will be rezoned from Riverside to Stallings Island, and about 135 Lakeside Middle School pupils will make up the rest of the population.

Nagle said he had confidence that the principal could unite the community at the new school.

Putnam said he looks forward to the new challenge.

"We've got to raise a lot of money for athletic equipment, and I really don't know what level of technology will be at the school," Putnam said.

In other business, the school board selected Fletcher Harley & Fletcher as its new legal counsel beginning in January. Nagle said the board already had a strong relationship with the firm and attorney Pete Fletcher.

"He's one of the strongest allies in the state as far as special education law (is concerned)," Nagle said.

The school board also set Monday, Aug. 10 as the first day of the 2009-10 school year. The second semester will end May 21, 2010, and graduation is scheduled for the following day.