Principal: Mrs. Valerie Lowery
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Mrs. Lowery is entering her 29th year with the Cherokee County School District and her fourth year as principal of Clayton Elementary School. A graduate of Cherokee High School, she earned her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University. She also holds a master’s degree in Media from the University of West Georgia and a Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University.
Her administrative career began as an assistant principal at Canton Elementary, and she later served as principal of Boston Elementary from 2018 to 2023.
With deep roots in the Clayton community and a strong family tradition in education, Mrs. Lowery is proud to continue serving local students and families. She and her family reside in the area, and she is honored to lead Clayton Elementary with dedication and purpose.
Mrs. Lowery looks forward to a successful and rewarding 2026-27 school year, with a continued focus on elevating the excellence that defines Clayton Elementary.
Assistant Principal: Dr. Chris Garity
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Dr. Garity is proud to again serve as the Assistant Principal at Clayton Elementary School! He earned his Ed.D. in Executive Leadership and Ed.S. in Educational Administration and Supervision from Lincoln Memorial University, M.A. in Interrelated Special Education from the University of North Georgia, and B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC).
Dr. Garity has had the privilege of working in the Cherokee County School District for eighteen years. The first three years of his tenure were spent as an administrator at Etowah High School. After Etowah High School, he served for ten years at Teasley Middle School. Dr. Garity then completed four years at Mill Creek Middle School. Last year was his first year serving at Clayton Elementary School. Prior to working in Cherokee County, he served as an administrator in Cobb County. His teaching experiences include Crabapple Middle School in Fulton County as well as at an outdoor residential treatment center in Blue Ridge.
Dr. Garity's wife, Mary Ellen, works as a kindergarten teacher at Hasty Elementary School. They have two sons. Noah is twenty-four and works at an architecture firm in downtown Atlanta. Their other son, Jacob, is twenty-two and recently graduated from our district’s Transition Academy.
Dr. Garity is again privileged to serve the students, staff, and families of the Clayton community.