Hey Colts! My name is Kayla Ballweg and this will be my third year as the Science Specials Teacher at KME. I have a passion for STEM education and plan to spend the year helping support our homeroom teachers work through the Georgia Science Standards. I’ll also offer many opportunities for students to nurture their love for all things science through Science Club and Science Olympiad. I’m so excited for another amazing year at Kelly Mill!

I am so excited to be your art teacher. If you are new to Kelly Mill I wanted to tell you a little bit about myself. I graduated in 2004 with an Art Degree from North Georgia College and State University (now North Georgia University). I received by teacher certification later and have spent the last 19 years in education with 11 years as an Elementary Art Teacher and the last 6 years at Kelly Mill.
I have been married for 15 years to my husband, Brandon, and we have two kids; Oliver in 6th grade and Maggie in 5th grade. We have a 3 year old rescue dog Ringo and a 1 year old Mini Berniedoodle named Benjamin Franklin, aka Benny.
When I am not teaching, my family and I love to spend time at the beach. We travel to Hilton Head Island a couple of times a year, and it is by far my family’s favorite way to relax.
We are HUGE UGA football fans; (GOOOOO DAWGS, sic’ em!!) and can’t wait to see our favorite football team in action again this year.
We are going to have such a fun year in Art. I have many fun activities planned for the year including clay, sculpture, painting and more, so stick around and we will have a great year!

Xo,
Mrs. Fujihira

Why is Art Important Video?

I am Pam Fulkerson, and I teach music at Kelly Mill. Originally from the mitten state, I attended Western Michigan University and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in violin performance. After that I attended Madonna University where I earned my teaching certificate in elementary education. I taught first grade in Michigan for 7 years. During that time, I obtained a master's degree in educational administration from Michigan State University. Go Spartans! My family moved to Georgia in 2003, and I began teaching in Forsyth County in 2010. I have been at Kelly Mill since it opened and spent time in fourth and second grades before returning to my first passion, music, in 2018. This year I will return to school (again!) pursuing a specialist degree in advanced educational studies. I absolutely love teaching music and do my best to work through the Georgia Standards of Excellence while providing students with engaging and fun lessons in a safe and upbeat environment.

Hi there! My name is Ariel Tithof and this is my eighth year teaching Drama at Kelly Mill Elementary. I received my bachelor’s degree in Theatre from Brenau University and my master’s degree in Theatre Education from Columbus State University. Prior to teaching at Kelly Mill, I was a teaching artist with DreamBox Theatre and the Alliance Theatre. I have over 20 years of acting, singing, and dancing experience and am so privileged to share my love of the arts with our students! My goal as a teacher is to help students become a better version of themselves. In my classroom, students have the freedom to create, perform, respond, and connect in a safe, respectful environment. Together, we can learn, have fun, and make lasting memories in Drama! When I am not teaching, I am spending time with my husband and chasing after our two little ones, Clementine and Cyrus. I enjoy reading, hiking, brunch, coffee, and the occasional Disney trip. Let’s make this school year the best one yet!

My name is Daniel Warner. I graduated from Kennesaw State University with a degree in Health and Physical Education in 2012. That fall I was hired as the PE para and 2 years later became the lead PE teacher. I have been at Kelly Mill since opening in 2012. I am passionate about teaching students new ways to play and be active that they can use outside of school in addition to recess and PE times. I am a CrossFit Certified Level 1 Trainer, a 1st degree blackbelt in Karate and a 3rd degree blackbelt in Taekwondo. I love sharing what I enjoy with students and so aspects of these hobbies will be integrated into PE classes. Outside of fitness I like to draw, work on cars, and ride my motorcycle. I'm so excited to begin another great year at Kelly Mill!