Editor’s Note: This is the sixth part of a series of stories featuring new principals in Troup County

Long Cane Elementary School Principal Katie Brown has had years of experience working in school, even going back to when she was 10-years-old and holding daycare.

“It wasn’t a real daycare, but all the parents trusted me, at 10-years-old, to let their kids come over,” Brown said. “I had a little craft time, so the neighborhood kids would come to my house, and I would teach them at 10-years-old.”

Brown said she always loved being around students and children, and the daycare brought her into education.

Originally from New York, Brown’s family moved to Peachtree City when she was in her junior year of high school. She then went to LaGrange College and played on the women’s soccer team.

Brown previously worked as an instructional specialist at Callaway Elementary School. She also taught kindergarten and second grade at Ethel Kight Elementary School before working as a math academic coach for the county for seven years.

Brown said this year, she wants to focus on partnering with parents to let them know they are a part of Long Cane Elementary. She and the administration came up with the saying “LCE where YOU matter,” with the you being the students, parents and staff.

“We’ve put some different activities in place throughout the year to bring parents in,” Brown said. “We have put some things in place to help our students love coming to school here. We have recently started a Leopard Lifters Taskforce Committee, who are teachers who have been working on ways we can make this school a positive environment for all stakeholders.”

Brown said she plans on holding a breakfast with the parents and stakeholders every quarter to tell them about the great things happening at the school.

“We’ve also put together a Fixer Upper Team Taskforce of teachers who have been working on sprucing up the building and make it a warm, inviting learning environment for all,” Brown said.

The school has added mirrors that have encouraging words above them to the wall inside the school’s entrance.

Brown said they also plan on doing a student forum where they’ll take third through fifth graders and get feedback from them about the student surveys they took at the end of the year to learn what they can improve.

“We’re going to get their feedback,” Brown said. “How does a student view our building?”

Brown is married to Matt Brown, who works in maintenance in the school system. She joked it comes in handy.

Outside of work, Brown enjoys doing anything sports related and spending time with her husband and daughter, Caroline.

Brown said she is excited for the new school year, and that Long Cane has the best families and staff.

“To me, education is the only job where you can come to work and you actually get hugs every day, and that to me is kind of special,” Brown said. “You don’t get that at many jobs, and that’s my favorite thing.”