Gwinnett Daily Post

SUWANEE -- Two veteran educators have been selected to fill two principal positions in Gwinnett County Public Schools.

The move came about as the result of personnel reassignments within the school system. Ron Boyd, the principal of Benefield Elementary, is transferring to another position within the school system, while Audrey Baptiste, the principal of Partee Elementary, is transferring to a middle school assistant principal role.

This week, the Gwinnett County Board of Education approved the appointments of Melissa Walker and LaVern W. Lynch as principals of Benefield and Partee, respectively. Their appointments will be effective Tuesday.

Walker, a graduate of the school district's Quality-Plus Leader Academy, has been an assistant principal at Richards Middle since 2005. She had been tapped to become an assistant principal at Harmony Elementary next year. She has been an educator since 1988, teaching at Crews Middle and Mt. Zion High in Jonesboro, as well as schools in Texas and Germany.

Walker holds a doctorate in educational administration from Texas A&M University.

Lynch, who served as principal of Norcross Elementary from 2002 to 2007, is returning to the school system from Henry County, where he worked as the principal of Stockbridge Elementary.

Lynch holds a doctorate in educational administration from Georgia State University.