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SOUTHLAND ACADEMY WELCOMES NEW FACULTY MEMBERS
Posted On:
Friday, August 26, 2016
Pictured are Laura Rooks, Dannie Griffin, Lori Fuller, Kayla Rico, Terry Collins, and Josh Hicks.
Pictured are Laura Rooks, Dannie Griffin, Lori Fuller, Kayla Rico, Terry Collins, and Josh Hicks.

Southland Academy welcomes six new faculty members for the upcoming 2016- 2017 school year. They are Terry Collins, Lori Fuller, Dannie Griffin, Josh Hicks, Kayla Rico, and Laura Rooks.  

For the first time ever, Southland has a full-time school nurse. Terry Collins received her Associate in Nursing degree from Darton College and her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing from Thomas University. She has one son, Haddon, who is in 5K this year. Reading, doing cross-stitch, working in the yard, and spending time with her family are her interests. About her coming to Southland, Mrs. Collins said, “I am very excited to join the Southland family this year. I look forward to assisting students, faculty, and parents through the school year.” 

One of our two alumnae who are returning to their alma mater is Dannie Carol Griffin. She is a 1995 graduate of Southland and a 2008 graduate of South Georgia Technical College as an LPN. Mrs. Griffin will be working as a 3K aid and coordinating the Extended Day program. Mrs. Griffin and her husband Jance have three children of their own who attend Southland: James, 8th grade; Keaton, 6th grade; and Lyle, 4K. She lists her activities as reading, dancing, playing with children, and “making people laugh.”  

Kayla Rico is a graduate of South Georgia Technical College and will be working with the Extended Day program. Her parents and brother are all residents of Sumter County, and Ms. Rico comments that “Southland is a friendly environment.”

The second alumna who returns to her alma mater is Laura Rooks, who is a 1997 graduate of Southland and a 2002 graduate of Georgia Southwestern University with a BS in Early Childhood Education. She will be teaching 4K at Southland after teaching fourteen years at GSW in their Early Childhood Development Center. She is married to William Rooks, and they have two children at Southland: Annslee in the 6th grade and Adalyn in the 4th grade. About her return to Southland, Mrs. Rooks said, “After being a student at Southland and having my own children attend, I am proud to continue my teaching career here.”  

Lori Fuller will be teaching 4K this year at Southland. She received her BS in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University. She and her husband have one son, Brody, who is in the 6th grade. She loves to do anything outdoors and comments, “My family is excited to be at Southland Academy this year.”  

Josh Hicks joins our faculty and teaches world history to the 8th and 10th grades and Spanish to the 7th grade and the Lower School. He is a 2005 graduate of Georgia Southern and a graduate of Georgia Southwestern University with a B.S. in Education. He and his wife Kimberly have two children: Clayton Thomas, who is five years old, and Emma Blair, who is one. He lists his interests as sports, religion, the beach, and Big Brother. About his joining the faculty at Southland, Coach Hicks says, “It’s like I have died and gone to heaven.” 

We feel fortunate that all of these have joined our Southland family.

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