Ms. Julie Prather Peppers is a product of the Cherokee County School District, graduating from Cherokee High School in 2002. She attended college on a cross country/track and field scholarship at Georgia Southern University for two years and then graduated with honors from Reinhardt College in Waleska, GA. She set school athletic records at Cherokee High and Georgia Southern as well as received NAIA athletic honors and NAIA All-American Academic honors at Reinhardt. Since graduating with a BS in Education, she has earned her Master’s and Specialist Degrees from Piedmont College and Educational Leadership Certificate from Kennesaw State University. She began her teaching career in Cherokee County in July 2006. She has taught at Hasty ES, Knox ES, Johnston ES, and Bascomb ES. She also served as Assistant Principal at Carmel ES and Sixes ES. She is proud to be the Principal of Free Home Elementary School.
Ms. Peppers is married to Billy Peppers, the current City Manager for the City of Canton, and they have two sons, Turner and Jennings. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, working in her yard, photography, reading, and running.
Ms. Peppers looks forward to a fantastic school year! Go Rockets!
Mrs. Courtney Shaw, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Courtney Shaw is super excited to join the Free Home family this year. She brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her role as Assistant Principal at Free Home. With over two decades in education, her journey reflects a commitment to students' growth and development. In 2000, she received her bachelor’s degree from Wingate University in North Carolina. In 2009, she earned a master’s degree from Kennesaw State University in Educational Leadership. Starting her career as a fifth-grade teacher in North Carolina, Mrs. Shaw cultivated a strong foundation in classroom instruction. Her versatility shone through as she taught across multiple grades in Florida before settling in Georgia in 2006. In Cherokee County, she honed her skills further, teaching second grade and ESOL at Boston Elementary. In 2012, Mrs. Shaw transitioned to educational leadership as the Assistant Principal at Oak Grove Fine Arts Academy, where she undoubtedly made a significant impact. In 2016, she was appointed the Assistant Principal at Bascomb Elementary where she has been for the past 8 years.
Outside the realm of education, Mrs. Shaw loves spending time with her family. Married to Josh since 2003, they have one son, Trey, who is navigating the adventures of high school. They have 2 dogs Kobe and MJ. Together, the Shaw family embraces their shared love for sports and spending time at the lake.