Strong Rock Announces New Elementary Leadership

Strong Rock Christian School is excited to announce a new elementary leadership team as we prepare for the upcoming school year and celebrate our 20th year of Christ-centered education.

We are pleased to welcome Misty Garvin as our next Elementary Principal. Our current Elementary Principal, Judy Johnston, will be stepping into retirement after 19 years of faithful service to Strong Rock a the end of this academic year.

With 30 years of experience in education, Mrs. Garvin currently serves as executive director of teaching and learning for the Jasper County Charter School System. She has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, district leader, and head of school, and is passionate about creating Christ-centered environments where students are known, valued, and challenged to grow both academically and spiritually.

Mrs. Garvin holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and advanced degrees in education and leadership from Columbus State University. Misty and her husband, Craig, are no strangers to Strong Rock, as their youngest son, Landon, previously attended here. Their daughter, Candler, serves in public education, supporting students with special needs.

Joining Mrs. Garvin as Assistant Principal is Amory Burdett, a familiar and trusted member of our Strong Rock family. Mrs. Burdett served as a teacher at SRCS from 2009 to 2020 and since then served as executive assistant in the front office, where she has worked closely with Mrs. Johnston. She will continue to lead elementary chapel next year. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Berry College and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia Southern University.

We are also excited to announce that Dawn Olender will take on the new position of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Specialist. In this role, she will partner with teachers to ensure instruction and assessment are aligned first with the Word of God and second with the rigor of curriculum standards. This role builds upon the work Mrs. Olender is already leading in curriculum, assessment, and vertical alignment. Mrs. Olender has served Strong Rock since 2011 as elementary assistant principal and brings more than 20 years of experience in teaching and administration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Cincinnati Christian University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Southeastern University.

“As head of school, I am excited to bring together an outstanding elementary leadership team that combines fresh ideas with strong institutional knowledge and a deep commitment to our mission. As we look ahead to year 20, I am grateful for all God has done and look forward to all He has in store for the year ahead,” said Paul McCracken, Head of School.