Barrow Named Special Education Director

​The Jackson County Board of Education approved Melanie Barrow as the system’s new Special Education Director Monday night. Barrow will begin her new role in July. 

Barrow comes to Jackson County following an extensive career with Fulton County Schools where she served as a special education teacher, special education compliance program specialist, special education compliance coordinator and assistant principal.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Barrow to the Jackson County School System,” said Dr. Amity Hardegree, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning. “Ms. Barrow brings a wealth of knowledge serving students and she will play an invaluable role in serving our special education students throughout our system.”

Barrow said a driving force in her decision to come to Jackson County is the size of the system, and the ability to make a direct impact on every student’s learning experience.

“I am from Fulton County, where there are about 94,000 students, and I have worked here a majority of my career,” Barrow said. “I am really looking for that home and after researching and talking to a lot of the people in Jackson County, I have truly found it. I am so excited with the small numbers and intimate feeling that I already have. I am going to get to work with people one-on-one and I am going to get to learn who the students are, dig in and get the work done. The smallness really drove me to apply to Jackson County.”

Barrow is currently serving as an assistant principal at Creek View Elementary School in Alpharetta where she oversees the school’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), all special education programs, 504 implementation and compliance and the special education training for staff. 

“In college, I was going to be a nurse, but I always said I was going to be a nurse for students with special needs. I didn’t even know if that was a real thing, I just made it up. But that was always my thing. In high school I worked with the kids with special needs and I’ve always been drawn to that,” Barrow said. ““I feel like this population of students and families need extra love and PLC and they also need somebody who is their biggest cheerleader. 

“After being in my career teaching 13 years in special education and then being in special education leadership, I am able to advocate for them and fight for them for what they need to have to have the best education they can. Plus, I love the population of special education. I love the differences they bring, the diversity. I love the passion the special education teachers have for their students. It is something where I want to see this population exceed and go well, go far and bring all their talents to the table.”

Barrow began her career at St. Anthony School Programs in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 2001, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education from Carlow University. She holds a Master of Education in Reading and Language Arts from Duquesne University. Barrow also holds a Tier 1 Leadership Certification.

Barrow and her husband, Shaun, have been married for 18 years. They have two dogs, Chloe and Cooper.