'Outstanding' Cobb County Principal to Lead Westlake in Fall

Dr. Grant Rivera of Cobb County Schools will take the helm at Westlake High School next year, according to a news release Monday from Fulton County Public Schools.

Currently the principal of Campbell High School and previously at South Cobb High School, Rivera’s tenure resulted in both schools meeting Adequate Yearly Progress consistently and being removed from the No Child Left Behind’s Needs Improvement list.

In fact, under his leadership South Cobb High School earned the Governor’s Cup for highest SAT gains and in 2010 he was named the Georgia PTA’s Outstanding High School Principal of the Year, the release states.

Rivera often serves as a guest speaker on parent involvement and community engagement at conferences throughout the state and the nation and his work even resulted in a spotlight on the Good Morning America show.

He also has helped develop school reform and culture programs for lower-achieving schools and has shared those strategies with other states’ Departments of Education.

Rivera earned a bachelor’s degree in education and social policy at Northwestern University and a master’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama. In addition, he completed a specialist’s degree in educational leadership from the University of West Georgia as well as a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Alabama.