Addison Elementary in East Cobb is getting new leadership after principal Jill Spiva resigned following a DUI arrest earlier this year. The Cobb County School District told families Monday that Spiva will not return and that veteran educator Brett Ward will serve as interim principal for the remainder of the school year. The move ends Spiva's roughly four-year tenure at the East Cobb campus and comes on the heels of a January crash that police say involved impairment.
District Confirms Exit, Names Interim Leader
According to The Georgia Sun, the Cobb County School District confirmed Spiva's resignation in a message to the Addison community and told families district leaders are focused on keeping things stable for students during the transition. The district named Brett Ward as interim principal, describing him as a longtime Cobb educator. Spiva had been appointed principal in 2021 after previously serving as an assistant principal elsewhere in the district, per Cobb County Schools.
Police Say Crash Happened Near School, Vodka Bottle Found
Police reports show Spiva was arrested on Jan. 8 after a crash at the intersection of Ebenezer Road and Sandy Plains Road, less than a half-mile from Addison Elementary, and was booked into the Cobb County jail, according to Atlanta News First. Officers reported finding a half-empty bottle of Smirnoff vodka in a white bag inside her vehicle and said she initially refused field sobriety tests and medical treatment. A judge later signed a warrant to draw her blood, and records show she was released on bond the following day.
Parents Split As District Reviews Case
Some parents told Channel 2 they spotted Spiva back on campus using crutches and shared mixed reactions about her brief return, while others urged the community to support her, per WSB-TV. The district placed Spiva on administrative leave while it investigated and later notified the Addison community that leadership changes were being made to maintain continuity at the school.
DUI Charges Pending As District Probe Continues
Criminally, Spiva faces DUI and related traffic charges, and local reporting says the results of the court-ordered blood draw have not been released, with upcoming court proceedings expected to determine next steps, according to Atlanta News First. The Cobb County School District has said it is reviewing the personnel matter under district policy while students' education continues under interim leadership, per FOX 5 Atlanta.
