ATLANTA—As a new teacher, Dr. Julie Brown’s first job was in front of a classroom teaching high school Spanish before her career path led her to roles as a leader in public schools around the Atlanta area.  

Some 38 years later, she will be the first principal for the Hall County Catholic School. The Archdiocese of Atlanta is preparing to open its first school in two decades. It’ll be located at Prince of Peace Church, Flowery Branch.  

Dr. Julie Brown is principal of the new Hall County Catholic School. She is a parishioner of St. Lawrence Church.

A native of Decatur, Brown, 60, is a veteran educator of schools in Gwinnett, Clayton and DeKalb counties. In 2016, she helped open an elementary school in DeKalb County.  

Brown worships at St. Lawrence Church in Lawrenceville. She has served on retreat teams, with music ministries, as a member of the Steubenville Atlanta conference team and as an administrator for Sacred Heart Online Homeschool. 

She earned a doctorate degree from Walden University, where she focused on English learning strategies. 

“My goal for the new school is to develop, with the community, the very best Catholic school where students discover their unique giftedness, develop a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus, and achieve at the highest academic levels,” she wrote in an open letter to the Hall County community.  

She wrote in an email to The Georgia Bulletin about her desire for the position, her experience standing in front of a classroom while still a student herself and finding joy in working with her hands: 

What inspired you to become a principal? God inspired me and led me my entire life to becoming a principal. From learning the Spanish language, becoming a Catholic, a teacher and assistant principal to being a principal. Hall County Catholic will afford me the opportunity to use all of my gifts and experiences in one place. 

What excites you about building a new school from the ground up? Coming from more than 30 years as a public-school educator, I am very excited to be openly Catholic as a school leader and to set the precedence for a new learning community. 

What’s a favorite memory from your school days? I was in a program in DeKalb County called “Impact.” There we created learning projects in our academic areas of strength. For me, the Spanish language was a strength. I was actually able to teach eighth graders Spanish with my Spanish teacher my senior year. I learned to teach from my teacher, and my sister was actually in my class. 

What’s a goal you hope to accomplish in the next year? I hope to develop a vibrant learning community where we work hard, grow in our faith and celebrate accomplishments frequently. 

What hobbies do you have outside of school? I sing and play the guitar for both an English and Spanish Mass at my parish, St. Lawrence Church. I recently learned to build stained glass projects. I love to work in my yard, gardening and I like to embroider. I am particularly fond of renovating my home with my brother. And I LOVE dogs. (She has a miniature dachshund named Sara Elizabeth after a great-great grandmother.)