BGA names new Head of Middle School for 2023-24 school year

Battle Ground Academy has named Shannon Dishman as the Head of Middle School for the 2023-24 school year.

According to a news release, Dishman most recently served as Head of School at Atlanta Academy, an independent pre-school through eighth grade academy in Roswell, Ga., and will join BGA in July.

“Our national search yielded a number of highly qualified candidates from across the country, but Shannon emerged as the right choice for our school,” BGA Head of School Will Kesler said in a news release. “She has nearly 20 years of experience in the classroom and in school leadership roles. We believe her hands-on, highly relational approach will support our Middle School students, families, and faculty and staff well.”

Dishman is a graduate of Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of Education, where she earned a Master of Education in independent school leadership, and a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College of Education, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in middle school math and science. She also holds an Advanced Education Leadership Certificate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

“My ideal school environment is one that allows students to feel safe to explore their passions and talents without the fear of failure. I have certainly found that here at BGA,” Dishman said. “I am particularly looking forward to working with our amazing Middle School team to help instill our core values of Character, Scholarship and Excellence in our students.”