Administration
Kelly Flatt is the Principal of the L. R. Tippens Education Center in Holly Springs, GA. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, she entered education 21 years ago after working as a social worker/school social worker in a variety of settings in Virginia and Gwinnett County, GA. Those positions included mental health therapist in a self-contained educational setting, group home support staff, alternative school social worker, and gang prevention specialist. She began her educational career in Douglas County as a special education teacher before moving with her family to Pickens County. She served as a special education teacher and special education department chair at Pickens High School; then, over several years in Pickens, she moved into roles of CTI Coordinator, Special Education Coordinator, Virtual/Alternative School Director, and Assistant Principal. Prior to arriving at Tippens, Ms. Flatt served as an assistant principal at Etowah High School in Woodstock, GA. She was appointed to her current position in 2025.
Ms. Flatt earned a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services Counseling from Old Dominion University, a Master’s degree in Social Work from Radford University, and a Master’s degree in Special Education from University of Phoenix. She also completed an Educational Specialist’s Degree in School Leadership from Kennesaw State University. Ms. Flatt and her husband, Chad Flatt, have four children – Jack (20), Ruby (16), Quincy (15), and Gus (11).
Adam Parker is the Assistant Principal of the L.R. Tippens Education Center in Holly Springs, GA. Mr. Parker was born and raised in Canton and graduated from Cherokee High School. Mr. Parker began his career in education in 2007 as a special education teacher and basketball coach at Freedom Middle School. At FMS, Mr. he was the Special Education Department Head, awarded Teacher of the Month multiple times, recognized by the CCSD Special Education Department, and completed the Teach21 program. In 2014, Mr. Parker became a Special Education Facilitator for several different schools through 2019. During this time, he served on the Superintendent’s Special Education Ad HOC committee and was a district CHOICE coach. After serving as a facilitator for several years, Mr. Parker became the Assistant Principal at R.M. Moore STEM Academy through 2022. In the fall of 2022, he transitioned back to the role of facilitator at L.R. Tippens and other schools in the county. Since returning to L.R. Tippens, Mr. Parker has received the Support Staff of the Year award multiple times and served as the Interim Assistant Principal until the role became official in the spring of 2026.
Mr. Parker completed a B.S. in Biology from Kennesaw State University in 2007, completed the SETWEB program at the University of Georgia in 2010, and earned his Master of Education in Learning and Teaching from Nova Southeastern University in 2013. In addition, Mr. Parker has certifications in various special education areas such as general curriculum and academic content concentrations, biology, professional pedagogy, MindSet, and is currently an MCPP trainer. In his free time, Mr. Parker enjoys attending church and fishing with his son. Mr. Parker and his wife, Neely, have been married over 20 years and have two children, Carolyn (16) and Griffin (11).