Heather Rairigh has spent the last 25 years teaching children of all ages! She received her bachelor's degree in Middle Grades Education from North Georgia College. Since then her experience has included teaching Pre-K, elementary, middle, alternativie, and high school classes in private and public school settings. The subjects she has taught have also been enriching and varied. She loves to teach and is dedicated to her students!

Andrew Harwood has served as the Band Director at Lumpkin County High School since 2007 and in 2016 he was selected as the Lumpkin County School System Teacher of the Year. Prior to joining the LCHS faculty, he served as the Director of Bands at Sandy Springs Middle School in Atlanta, GA where he was the 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year. In 2018, Mr. Harwood presented “Music Educator Resilience - 14 Essential Skills to help you bounce, not break” at the GMEA in-service conference. Before choosing a career in education, Mr. Harwood was a member of The U.S. Army Concert Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington DC. As a member of this elite ensemble, he performed regularly at the White House as well as for kings, queens, and foreign heads of state. Mr. Harwood was a soloist with The U.S. Army Concert Band on six different occasions. He has performed throughout the United States and in such notable venues as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fischer Hall and has given a solo recital at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Brenton Ruark is from Cornelia, Georgia and is in his 2nd year at Lumpkin County Middle School as the Strength and Conditioning Coach. Mr. Ruark coaches defensive backs for the the high school football team and coaches golf at the middle school. Ruark attained his bachelors degree from the University of North Georgia in Kinesiology and holds a Masters degree in Physical Education from Georgia State University. Today, Mr. Ruark is working on his Specialist degree in Coaching Pedagogy in Physical Education at Valdosta State University with an expected graduation date of 2022. Mr. Ruark currently resides in his hometown of Cornelia, Ga with his wife Lauren Ruark and is expected his first child in September.

Mrs. Jones is a proud graduate of Clemson University, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (K-8) and a Master’s degree in Counseling & Guidance. She earned her Education Specialist degree in Curriculum & Development from Lincoln Memorial University, as well as endorsements in Gifted Education and Science from University of North Georgia. Mrs. Jones has been recognized as a Georgia STEM Scholar and Lumpkin County Teacher of the Year. She leads the Science Olympiad and FIRST LEGO League after school STEM clubs.

Mr. Sumner Sapough graduated from Piedmont college in 2015 with a Bachelors degree in Middle Grades Education with a concentration in Science and Social Studies. He moved to Lumpkin Co. in 2015 and initially started his career at Long Branch Elementary School. When he moved to Lumpkin County Middle School he started as an 8th grade science teacher and taught science for 3 years. He then moved to 6th grade and taught science there for less than a year when he moved to Agriculture education. He has been now teaching Ag. for 1 1/2 years.

Coach Thomaswick began teaching and coaching at Lumpkin County Middle School in the fall of 2002. He received his bachelor’s degree in Community Health from Slippery Rock University and his master’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Valdosta State University. He is currently teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade physical education and is the head middle school volleyball coach.