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Georgia Piedmont president fired
Chancellor removes leader, suspends 4 including Newton dean over financial aid
Dr-Simama-at-podium-GPTC-SotC-sm
Georgia Piedmont Technical College President Dr. Jabari Simama

Concerns over “financial aid matters” led to the firing of Georgia Piedmont Technical College President Jabari Simama.

Four other college employees were suspended, including Irvin Clark, vice president of economic development and dean of the Newton County Campus.


Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story indicated Jabari Simama was fired effective Wednesday. A representative of the Technical College System of Georgia later said Simama was informed of the decision to terminate his employment Wednesday but placed on administrative leave for a month.

Mark D’Alessio, a spokesman for the Technical College System of Georgia, confirmed the changes Thursday morning. Simama was notified of the termination Wednesday and placed on administrative leave, and his last day of employment will be May 11.

“The commissioner (Matt Arthur) did that and the reason for that is there’s some big financial concerns at the college and so we’ve decided that we are going to make a change in leadership there,” D’Alessio said.

The Covington News first reported the story.

Simama was appointed president of the college in 2012. He previously was the chief of staff for the DeKalb County CEO. Information about him and his leadership team had been scrubbed from the college website as of Thursday morning.

D’Alessio said Simama was the only person fired.

“There have been a few folks that have been put on suspension until we get things figured out,” D’Alessio said, “and it is around financial aid issues.”

Ivan H. Allen, the president of Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, will lead an assessment team “to kind of lead the school until a new president has been put in place,” D’Alessio said.

The spokesman said financial problems at Georgia Piedmont Tech were pressing, to the point Arthur had to act quickly.

“The main issue with us is we’re always going to do things that are in the best interest of our students,” he said.

D’Alessio said there should be no concerns for GPTC students on financial aid “at this point.”

“Everything should be running as it always has,” he said. “Students shouldn’t have any worry at this point.”

Clark is suspended with pay, and D’Alessio said there is no timetable on the expected resolution of concerns.

Georgia Piedmont Tech has two Newton County centers, on Alcovy Road and on Bob Williams Parkway in Covington. GPTC serves students in DeKalb, Morgan, Newton and Rockdale counties.

The college recently lost a vice president, Ivan Harrell, who was chosen as the president of Tacoma Community College in Washington. Harrell served as the executive vice president of academic and student affairs at Georgia Piedmont Tech.

Clark declined to comment Thursday afternoon.

Attempts to contact Simama were not successful and his voicemail inboxes were not accepting messages.

This is a developing story. Get more updates later at covnews.com and in this weekend's issue of The Covington News.

Three Newton County middle schoolers awarded REACH scholarships
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Newton County Schools announced Wednesday that Indian Creek Middle School eighth-grade students Elijah Thompson and Zion Hall, along with Veterans Memorial Middle School eighth-grader Michael Johnson III, have been awarded the "Realizing Educational Achievement Can Happen" (REACH) Scholarship. The recognition was celebrated during a special ceremony at the Newton County Board of Education on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. 

Dr. Keith Benton, Director of Student and Family Support for Newton County Schools, highlighted the significance of the REACH program. 

“REACH is a mentoring and scholarship initiative designed to ensure Georgia’s academically promising students receive the academic, social and financial support they need to graduate from high school and college prepared for the workforce,” Benton said.

As REACH Scholars, Thompson, Hall and Johnson will each receive a $10,000 scholarship upon high school graduation. The scholarships, totaling $30,000, are funded by the Newton Education Foundation. These funds can be applied toward the cost of attendance at any HOPE-eligible institution, including universities within the University System of Georgia, technical colleges and private post-secondary institutions.

Benton also detailed the commitments required of REACH Scholars. 

“Our REACH Scholars must sign a contract pledging to maintain good behavior, sustain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, meet with their REACH mentor at least twice a month and focus on earning both a high school diploma and a college degree,” Benton said. “Additionally, they must agree to maintain a crime- and drug-free record.”

This recognition of Thompson, Hall and Johnson as Georgia REACH Scholars underscores Newton County Schools’ dedication to fostering academic excellence and providing pathways for student success.

Dr. Duke Bradley, III, superintendent of Newton County Schools, expressed his pride in the students’ achievements. 

“I am incredibly proud of Elijah, Zion and Michael for earning the prestigious Georgia REACH Scholarship,” Bradley said. “Their commitment to academic excellence serves as a commendable example for their peers, and I have no doubt they will make significant contributions to our community's future.”

Bradley also expressed gratitude to the Newton Education Foundation for its role in making this opportunity possible. 

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the support of the Newton Education Foundation, whose investment in our students helps create life-changing opportunities,” Bradley said. “Their commitment to the success of Newton County’s children is invaluable.”

School Board Chair Abigail Coggin echoed this sentiment. 

“We are thrilled to see Elijah, Zion and Michael take advantage of this incredible opportunity,” Coggin said. “Their dedication and hard work reflect the bright future of Newton County, and we are so grateful to the Newton Education Foundation for making this possible.”