Oak Grove Elementary STEAM Academy

🦅📣Welcome to The Grove for the 2026-2027 school year to Mrs. Madison Cofield!

Mrs. Cofield is excited to be one of the School Counselors at OGES. She will be working with students K-2. This is her 6th year in education but her 1st year as a school counselor. She has taught Middle School Science, 5th Grade, and ESOL. She is passionate about creating a supportive community for all students to grow to be the amazing individuals they are already are!

Outside of school, she has an awesome husband and they about to celebrate 2 years of marriage this July!

She is ecstatic about beginning a wonderful new year and excited for all of the incredible adventures ahead.

📣🦅Welcome Ms. Kaylin Mayo as a Kindergarten Paraprofessional for the 2026-2027 school year!

Ms. Mayo recently graduated from the University of Alabama and is starting her Master’s in Early Childhood and Special Education. She attended the Cherokee County school system and is excited to be back as an employee!

📣🦅New to OG in the 2026-2027 school year is Ms. Madeline Fiscarelli!

Having grown up in Woodstock, she is very excited to be moving back to the area and joining the Oak Grove family! She has been teaching for two years in Statesboro, Georgia, where she graduated from Georgia Southern University and is currently working on my Masters in Curriculum and Instruction. She also danced on the Georgia Southern Dance Team. Go Eagles!

When she is not at school, you can find her at the gym, spending time with family and friends, or trying new restaurants! One fun fact about her is that she is a triplet!

She can’t wait to start my next chapter at Oak Grove and meet everyone!

📣🦅New to the Grove for the 2026-2027 school year, please welcome Ms. Julia Payne!

Ms. Payne is originally from northeast Georgia and now lives with her two beautiful daughters in Acworth. Outside of the classroom you can always find her spending time with family and friends, reading, writing and singing, and cheering her daughter on at her soccer games.

This year will be her 12th year teaching. She most recently taught in Marietta City Schools in General Education, as well as Special Ed and is looking forward to joining the Special Education team at The Grove!

She is passionate about meeting students exactly where they are and always strives to honor their unique strengths in order to nurture their paths to success. She looks forward to working alongside families and other teachers to help our children soar!

📣🦅New to the Grove for the 2026-2027 school year, please welcome Mrs. Karen Wells!

Mrs. Karen Wells is an experienced educator with 23 years in elementary education, serving students across kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and fourth and fifth grade ESOL classrooms. Throughout her career, she has taught in three states, including nine years in the Cherokee County School District and four years in Fulton County, nine years in Florida, and one year in Michigan.

Upon joining the Cherokee County School District, Mrs. Wells taught ESOL and first grade at Oak Grove Elementary School STEAM Academy and is excited to return to a school community that holds a special place in her heart. For the past five years, she has served as an Instructional Lead Strategist at R.M. Moore Elementary School STEM Academy, supporting teachers and students through instructional leadership, curriculum implementation, and data-informed practices that promote academic growth and achievement.

Mrs. Wells earned a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Michigan State University in 2002, a Master’s degree in Reading from University of South Florida St. Petersburg in 2008, an Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Piedmont University in 2020, and a Tier I Educational Leadership Certification from Piedmont University in 2022. She also holds endorsements in ESOL, Gifted, and Coaching. Her dedication to furthering her education reflects her commitment to excellence in teaching and her belief in continuous personal and professional growth.

Passionate about student success, Mrs. Wells is dedicated to creating engaging learning experiences that foster curiosity, collaboration, and a love of learning. She believes in empowering students to become critical thinkers, effective problem-solvers, and lifelong learners.

Outside of school, she enjoys camping, exploring unfamiliar places, and spending time outdoors with her husband and their four dogs. She also loves spending time with friends and family. Her love of adventure, meaningful relationships, and lifelong learning reflects both her personal and professional approach to life.

Mrs. Wells looks forward to joining the Oak Grove family once again and supporting students, staff, and families as they work together to build a strong and thriving school community.

📣🦅Oak Grove is excited to welcome Mrs. Holly Miller as our new Assistant Principal!

Mrs. Miller brings 23 years of experience in elementary education and is entering her 5th year as an assistant principal with Cherokee County School District.

When she is not at school, Mrs. Miller enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters who attend high school in Cherokee County. She also enjoys traveling to the beach and reading.

Mrs. Miller is looking forward to getting to know the students, families, and staff at Oak Grove and is excited to be a part of such a wonderful school community.

📣🦅New to the Grove for the 2026-2027 school year is Amber Socaciu!

Mrs. Socaciu joins Oak Grove as the Literacy Coach with experience as a classroom teacher, instructional leader, educational consultant, and educator preparation specialist. Throughout her career, she has been passionate about supporting teachers and improving literacy outcomes for students through high-quality instruction, collaborative learning, and data-informed practices.

As Literacy Coach, Amber looks forward to partnering with teachers to strengthen reading and writing instruction and support student achievement across all grade levels.

Outside of school, Amber enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband, a personal trainer, their 16-year-old daughter, 13-year-old son, and a German Shepherd. She is excited to become part of the school community and looks forward to a great year of learning and growth together.

Our Oak Grove Leadership Team spent yesterday at ElevateED, proudly sharing what’s working at Oak Grove while also learning from other outstanding educators and leaders. We had the opportunity to present the practices and systems that are helping our students and staff succeed, while attending sessions focused on innovation, leadership, and continuous improvement. We are excited to bring back new ideas, fresh perspectives, and proven strategies that will help us continue to elevate the excellence for every student, every day at Oak Grove! And yes, we are so excited to welcome Karen Wells back to The Grove as our new TSA!

Even though it’s summer break, Oak Grove’s leadership team is already hard at work preparing for an incredible year ahead! Today’s leadership retreat with Ms. Williams was filled with collaboration, planning, reflection, and excitement as we continue building a strong vision for our students, staff, and school community. Now that the planning is done, it’s time for this amazing team to relax, recharge, and enjoy a well-deserved summer break! ☀️🌴

📚✨ SAVE THE DATE ✨📚

We can’t wait to welcome our Preschool Eagles for Meet & Greet! 🦅❤️💙 Mark your calendars for Friday, July 31, 2026, and get ready for a fun start to the school year ahead!

🕗 Meet & Greet appointments will take place from 8:00 AM–12:00 PM. Preschool teachers will reach out to families to schedule appointment times.

We can’t wait to see our little learners and their families soon! ✨