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Peachtree Academy names Michael Mauriello the New Head of School
Michael Mauriello
Michael Mauriello, new Head of School at Peachtree Academy

Peachtree Academy is welcoming Michael Mauriello as the new Head of School. 

Mauriello was introduced to the Peachtree Academy community on Jan. 27 during a special Chapel service, where he shared his vision for the future of the school.

With 28 years of experience in education, Mauriello brings leadership knowledge, having served in various roles including Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Professional Learning and Special Education Teacher. 

His experience spans instructional leadership, school operations, staff supervision, curriculum development and professional learning.

In his previous position as Director of Professional Learning at the Rockdale County Board of Education, Mauriello led system-wide professional development, playing a role in improving school performance. 

He has presented at major educational conferences, including the 2023 Learning Forward Conference and the 2017 International Society for Technology in Education Conference.

"I am truly honored to join the Peachtree Academy family," Mauriello said. "I look forward to working with our talented faculty, staff, and students to continue building a strong foundation for academic excellence, personal growth and innovation."

As Head of School, Mauriello is committed to fostering a nurturing environment where students can thrive academically, socially and emotionally. His experience in both academic leadership and extracurricular activities reportedly aligns with Peachtree Academy's mission to develop well-rounded, future-ready students.

Peachtree Academy is reportedly thrilled to have Mauriello at the helm and looks forward to the positive impact they project his leadership will have on the school community.

Oxford College volunteers brave the cold to serve in honor of MLK Day
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Photo by Avery D. Spalding, Emory Photo/Video.

Courtesy of Oxford College

On Jan. 20, more than 60 Oxford College students, staff and community members bundled up against the cold to help several community partners during Emory’s annual MLK Day of Service.

“With temperatures forecast to be in the 20s, we pivoted our two outdoor projects,” says Megan Hulgan, Oxford’s assistant director of Student Involvement, Leadership and Transitions (SILT). “Instead of removing invasive plants from the trail behind the Oxford College Organic Farm, our volunteers worked inside the farm greenhouse to support the farm’s production of native plants. At Best Friends Farm, a local animal sanctuary, students assisted with tasks in the barn and in the chicken coop.”

Students and staff also served behind the scenes at Giving Hands Food Pantry and the Salvation Army by cleaning, organizing and sorting donations. 

“Salvation Army volunteers prepped hundreds of articles of clothing to be sold at the thrift store or given to our neighbors in need free of charge,” Hulgan says. They also learned about services the Salvation Army offers to unhoused neighbors, individuals affected by the justice system and others.

Farmer/educator Daniel Parson had ample tasks to keep the Oxford Organic Farm volunteers busy, despite the change in plans. Students made potting soil, tidied the greenhouse, trimmed and prepped native plants that were already growing, and planted 10 flats of native seeds so that more can be grown.

“Our native plant program is an important part of the farm by providing pest control and increasing biodiversity,” Parson explains. “We are able to sell some of the plants, getting them into the community and providing funding for our activities. We also partner with the City of Oxford on their right-of-way meadows, so some of the plants may end up there.”

Although the day was cold enough to quickly freeze any water outside, Oxford Farm volunteers spent much of their time in the greenhouse — where it was a warm 70 degrees.

After their shifts were complete, volunteers gathered for lunch and post-event reflections.

“We swapped stories of the work we completed and the local issues we learned about,” Hulgan says. “We concluded with reflection on how we can engage in the ongoing work to reach Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.

“Our community is committed to the environmental justice missions of these organizations,” she adds. “I’m not surprised that students, staff and campus partners got their hands dirty and supported this work despite the below-freezing temperatures.”