JEFFERSON — The Jackson County School System has announced the appointment of four new assistant principals for the upcoming 2023-24 school year. 

JCSS is promoting three internal candidates to the position. Wendy Dillow will serve at East Jackson Elementary School; Jessie Wood at East Jackson Comprehensive High School; and Jade Paustian will serve as West Jackson Middle School. Maysville Elementary has hired Kelli Hall, who comes to JCSS from a nearby school system. 

All four will begin in their new positions during the upcoming 2023-24 school year. 

Dillow served as a student teacher during East Jackson Elementary’s inaugural year in 2003-04 prior to completing her undergraduate degree in the Spring of 2004. She has been a EJES ever since then, serving in a wide-variety of positions that include teaching, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Coordinator and Parent and Family Engagement Specialist. She has held her current position of MTSS-Coordinator for the past two years. 

Wood has been with Jackson County Schools for the past eight years and is in the midst of her 14th year in education. She has served at EJCHS for the past six years, the last four of which as the instructional coach. Wood, who was named EJCHS’ Teacher of the Year in 2019, will help transition the eighth graders from EJCHS into the high school portion of the building in her new role as assistant principal.

Paustian is in her eighth year in education and is the current Instructional Coach at West Jackson Middle School. She previously was a teacher at North Oconee High School, where she was named the Teacher of the Year in 2020 and the Girls Lacrosse Area 4-AAAAA Coach of the Year in 2022. 

Hall is currently an instructional coach at Oakwood Elementary School in Hall County. She is in her ninth year in education. Hall noted her family moved to Jackson County nearly two years ago and she was looking to engrain herself into the Jackson County community and allow her two daughters to attend school where they live.