About Us

Larry Farner, Principal

Hello Pioneers!

This will be my ninth year as principal at North Whitfield, and I am proud to say I have been a Pioneer for most of my life. Growing up in our community, I attended North Whitfield as a middle school student. I have so many wonderful memories from my time here, and I learned invaluable lessons from my teachers. My hope is that our current Pioneers are building the same great experiences and memories I did when I was their age!

In addition to being a Pioneer, I graduated from Northwest Whitfield High School and began college at North Georgia College in Dahlonega. After two years, I transferred to the University of Georgia, where I earned a degree in social science education. My teaching career began at Carson Middle School in Greensboro, GA, but soon I moved back to my hometown. I was fortunate to secure a teaching position at Westside Middle School, where I primarily taught social studies and math. During my time at Westside, I earned my master’s and specialist degrees in educational leadership from Lincoln Memorial University.

In 2010, I became an assistant principal at North Whitfield and served for two years before moving to Southeast Whitfield High School as an assistant principal for three years. Prior to becoming the principal at North Whitfield, I served as the principal at Cohutta Elementary for two years. This year marks my 25th year as an educator, and I am as passionate as ever about making a difference in the lives of our students.

My wife, Jennifer, and I have four children: Jackson (22), Brandilyn (18), Halle (13), and Sydney (11). As a family, we love spending time outdoors swimming, camping, fishing, or playing basketball. We are also devoted fans of our Pioneers, Colts, and DAWGS!

Lisleni Pace, Assistant Principal

Hello Pioneer Family!!

It is with heartfelt enthusiasm and deep gratitude that I introduce myself to you. My name is Lisleni Pace, and I am honored to join the Pioneer family as your new Assistant Principal.

I am so excited about joining this community and look forward to helping your children grow and thrive.  With over 30 years of experience in both teaching and administration, I’ve had the privilege of working with students across all grade levels. While the majority of my classroom experience has been at the elementary level, I have spent the last eight years serving as an Assistant Principal at Eastbrook Middle School, Eastside Elementary School, Valley Point Middle School and now, I am thrilled to be part of North Whitfield Middle School community.

I have been married for 23 wonderful years and am a proud mother of three amazing children and a doting grandmother to six beautiful grandchildren. Family means the world to me, and I bring that same sense of care, connection, and commitment into my professional life. For the past 20 years, I’ve called Dalton my home, and I truly cherish the strong sense of community and belonging it offers.

As a servant leader, I believe deeply in building relationships rooted in respect, empathy, and trust. My personal mission is to support each student in recognizing and embracing the richness of their individual backgrounds and unique strengths. I am passionate about fostering an environment where every child feels seen, heard, and valued. I also believe in promoting excitement around all student opportunities—academic, social, and emotional—to help each child reach their fullest potential.

Please know that I am here to serve you, support your families, and walk alongside you in this educational journey. My door is always open, and I look forward to working together to nurture a learning environment filled with kindness, growth, and shared success.

With warm regards,

Kathleen Gamble, Assistant Principal

I have been serving students in Whitfield County Schools since 1998, beginning at North Whitfield Middle School.  I have spent all of my WCS career in the middle grades. Shortly after joining North Whitfield Middle in 1998, I completed a Master in Education degree and then obtained my Education Specialist degree in 2005 -- both in education leadership.  In 2006, I, along with several others, made the move to New Hope Middle School for its opening year.  In 2009, I transferred to Westside Middle to begin a new adventure in teaching 8th grade accelerated ELA and Georgia history to students in gender-based classrooms. In 2014, I moved into a new role as instructional coach.  In the fall of 2020, I was an assistant principal at Eastbrook Middle until moving back to North Whitfield in 2022. I am so happy and proud to be back in Pioneer country!

My husband David and I enjoy taking weekend road trips, watching classic movies and football, and visiting our grandchildren.  Knowing that I am in DAWG country, I am not afraid to say that I am a very proud fan of the VOLS! You may see me sporting orange on a few Fridays during football season.