A Cobb County elementary school principal has resigned following her DUI arrest last month, ending a four-year tenure at the East Cobb school.
What’s Happening: Dr. Kevin Carpenter, a Cobb County School District assistant superintendent, told the Addison community Monday that Jill Spiva “has resigned and will not be returning to Addison.”
- Brett Ward, a veteran educator with more than 40 years in Cobb schools, will serve as interim principal for the remainder of the school year
- Ward previously led Brown, Smyrna and Kennesaw elementary schools in the district
Catch Up Quick: Police arrested Spiva on Jan. 8 near the intersection of Ebenezer Road and Sandy Plains Road — less than half a mile from her school.
Officers found a half-empty bottle of Smirnoff vodka in a white plastic bag near her car’s center console, according to a police report. When Spiva refused a blood test, a judge signed a search warrant forcing her to comply. She was released from custody the following day.
Between the Lines: The district stayed silent on Spiva’s employment status for six weeks while conducting its investigation. The school system returned from winter break Monday — the same day families learned of her resignation.
Ward starts Tuesday. Carpenter told families that the school’s Principal Advisory Council will provide input on qualities they want in a permanent principal for next school year.
Spiva had worked as an educator in Cobb County for more than 20 years.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.