The Jackson County Board of Education approved Mrs. Lacey Jakes as the new principal of the Empower College and Career Center, according to a May 8 announcement. Jakes will begin her role on July 1, replacing Dr. Meri Blackburn, who is retiring.
Jakes currently serves as an assistant principal at Mill Creek High School, where she manages the STEM program and scheduling responsibilities. She has been in public education for several years, serving under Mill Creek High School Principal Jason Lane since 2017. Before moving into administration, Jakes was a department chair and STEM innovator at Mill Creek High School.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome Mrs. Jakes to Jackson County to serve as our new principal at the Empower College and Career Center,” Dr. Philip Brown, superintendent of Jackson County School System, said. “Mrs. Jakes’ experience in launching the STEM program and extensive experience in scheduling at her current school will be invaluable to high school students throughout our system. I look forward to working alongside her to continue to grow our CTAE (Career Technical Agricultural Education) offerings at Empower.”
As STEM innovator, Jakes helped launch Mill Creek’s EPIC program—a cross-curricular model used by students throughout the high school—which resulted in a 30 percent reduction in course failure rates.
“I am incredibly humbled, excited, and honored to join the Empower family and serve the students, staff, and community of Jackson County,” Jakes said. “Empower’s forward-thinking approach to education through authentic learning, strong partnerships, and innovative opportunities deeply aligns with my passion for preparing students for success in college, careers, and life. I look forward to building on the incredible foundation already in place.”
Jakes has also worked as a math teacher at Osborne Middle School and served in Butts County schools before becoming an administrator. Her background includes work as a Comprehensive City Planner for Atlanta.
She holds degrees from Georgia Tech (Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and City Planning), Florida State University (Master’s Degree in Instructional Systems), and a Tier 1 Leadership Certificate from University of West Georgia.
Jackson County School System delivers comprehensive education from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade across seven elementary schools, three middle schools, two high schools, and a career center while focusing on academics, arts, athletics—and serving more than 11,200 students—according to the official website.
