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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!

McQuade
 Dr. Susan McQuade

Dr. Susan McQuade is the Assistant Principal at both Free Home and Clayton Elementary Schools. A graduate of Tucker High School and Georgia State University (Music Education), Dr. McQuade received her master’s degree from Lesley University (Curriculum & Instruction with a Specialization in Integrated Teaching Through the Arts), and her specialist degree (Administration & Supervision) and doctorate (Executive Leadership) from Lincoln Memorial University.

Dr. McQuade served as assistant principal at Macedonia Elementary School from 2015-2022. She began her tenure with the Cherokee County School District in 2012 as the art and music teacher at Boston Elementary after nine years with Clayton County Schools, six years with the Archdiocese of Atlanta schools, seven years with Buford City Schools, and two years as Director of Enterprise Education Initiatives at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Dr. McQuade balances her professional career with a close and supportive family. Her husband, Ed, is a retired choral director, their daughter, Lauren, is the Instructional Lead Specialist at Oak Grove Elementary, and their son, Alec, is the Sales Integration Manager for 11 Alive News. Dr. McQuade is delighted to be a part of the Free Home family as its assistant principal. Her goal is to serve and support a safe and happy environment where all children learn with a sense of wonder and purpose.