Michelle Corless
Principal
Biography
I am Michelle Corless, and it is an honor and privilege to serve as principal of Sand Hill Elementary. This will be my third year as principal, and my 28th year as an educator. I have been married for 24 years to my husband John, and we have twin boys, Johnathan and Graham, who attend Georgia Southern University.
I began teaching elementary music at Claxton Elementary and J.D. Dickerson Primary School in Vidalia, Georgia. My family moved to Effingham County in 2007 where I taught first and fourth grades at Rincon Elementary, and I served as the Instructional Supervisor/Assistant Principal before coming to Sand Hill. My Bachelor's degree is in Music Education, and I also have a certificate in Early Childhood Education. I have a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Georgia Southern University, and a Specialist's degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University. I completed the Effingham County Aspiring Leaders Program in 2011 and the Aspiring Principals Program in 2016.
I love Sand Hill Elementary! Our school has accomplished some amazing things in the last few years. We have been recognized as a Title I Reward school for two straight years in a row. In addition, we have received certification as a Certified Visible Learning School. There are only two schools with this distinction in the state of Georgia. We believe that learning should be visible in every classroom. Our teachers teach with clarity and our students know what it takes to be a good learner. It is exciting to see the success of our students and how they embrace learning.
Sand Hill Elementary students and staff will continue to focus on the dispositions of a good learner for the 2023-2024 school year. Sand Hill Hornets.....STING! These behaviors will ensure that our students are prepared for a lifetime of learning.
S ~ Self-Motivated
T ~ Take Time to Reflect
I ~ Innovative
N ~ Never Give Up, We Persevere
G ~ Goal Setters
My goal as principal at Sand Hill Elementary is to continue the academic improvements and success of our students while involving the community in these efforts. All staff members work diligently to prepare our students academically and socially. This is more important than ever before in our community and our district.
I look forward to a wonderful year at Sand Hill Elementary. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns at lcorless@effingham.k12.ga.us.
Our Vision: Engaging learners for future success.
Our Mission: Make every moment count, because every student matters.
Nicole Hilderbrandt
Assistant Principal
Biography
My name is Mrs. Nicole Hildebrandt and I am honored to begin my second year as Assistant Principal at Sand Hill Elementary. I was born and raised in Effingham County and I am a proud graduate of Effingham County High School. I received a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Armstrong Atlantic State University and an M.Ed. in Teaching of Reading from Nova Southeastern University. I taught kindergarten for 18 years at Ebenezer Elementary and served as Literacy Coach for 2 years. During that time, I earned a Coaching Endorsement, Reading Endorsement, and GT Endorsement. I was fortunate to be chosen to participate in Effingham County's Aspiring Leaders Program and also served as Teacher of the Year for Ebenezer Elementary School in 2019.
I am married to Benji Hildebrandt and, together, we have two children, Bailee and Brock. Bailee graduated from ECHS last May and is pursuing a nursing degree at Columbus State University, where she is a member of the CSU Women's Soccer team. Go Cougs!!!! Brock is entering 11th grade at ECHS. He is a member of the Rebel Football team. Go Rebels!! When we aren't at the football field or soccer field, our family enjoys camping and boating at the lake. We also enjoy spoiling our two Boston Terriers, Shiloh and Aiyah.
I am looking forward to another wonderful year at Sand Hill Elementary. The teachers, students, and families at Sand Hill are near and dear to my heart and, together, we will continue to achieve greatness!! Go Hornets!!!!
Contact Information
(912) 728-5112
nhildebrandt@effingham.k12.ga.us
Kristen Horton
Assistant Principal
Biography
I grew up here in Effingham County and I am thankful to have the opportunity to be a leader in the same school district that I grew up in! I started teaching at Sand Hill Elementary in 2009 and have taught pre-k, kindergarten, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade and 4th grade. I have also coached softball (6 years) and basketball (2 years) at South Effingham Middle School.
I am honored to now be an Assistant Principal here at Sand Hill Elementary. I love this school, the students and their families, as well as the amazing teachers and staff that work here! We have accomplished some GREAT things here at this school and I know this will continue to be the path for all of our Hornets.
I am married to Wesley Horton, and we have 3 children: Karlee (Auburn University), Tanner (7th grade at SEMS), and Easton (5th grade). I enjoy spending time with my family, watching my kids play sports, going to the beach, reading, and crafting.
Degrees and Certifications:
Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education AASU
Master's Degree in Learning and Technology WGU
Education Specialist Degree in Teacher Leadership TU
Contact Information
(912) 728-5112
khorton@effingham.k12.ga.us
Kayla Mullins
Instructional Supervisor
Assistant Principal
Email
Biography
My name is Kayla Mullins. I am honored to be a part of Sand Hill Elementary School as Instructional Supervisor/ Assistant Principal. I am excited to meet and work with all of the families at Sand Hill Elementary.
My husband, Nick, and I have been together for 18 years and married for 10 of those years. We also have three wonderful children. Owen will be in 1st grade, Charlotte will be in Kindergarten and Wiley will be 2 years old in January. I am happy I have the opportunity to bring two of my three children to Sand Hill with me as they form lifelong friendships. As a family, we love to travel and make memories as often as possible. One part of traveling that we love the most would be camping. We look forward to long weekends away at local state parks where we can disconnect from everything else and enjoy each others company.
I graduated from South Effingham High School in 2008. I then went on to attend Georgia Southern University where I earned my Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education as well as my Master's degree in Early Childhood Education. A few years later, I earned a Specialist degree in Teacher Leadership as I knew leadership was something I wanted to pursue. In 2022, I began the Effingham County School District Aspiring Leaders program to further my passion for educational leadership. During my time in Effingham County, I have had the opportunity to teach pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, third grade (all content areas) and fourth grade (all content areas). I have always had a passion to learn and strive to help others. I look forward to this new opportunity at Sand Hill Elementary to serve the faculty, staff, students and families for many years to come.
Degrees and Certifications:
B.S. in Early Childhood Education
M. Ed. in Early Childhood Education
Ed. S. in Teacher Leadership
Contact Information
(912) 728-5112
kmullins@effingham.k12.ga.us