Meet the Principal

Mr. John Ellenberg

Principal
Greene County High School
June 2024 - Present

Chief Executive Officer
College & Career Academy
July 2017 - Present

Mr. John Ellenberg has served as the Principal of Greene County High School since June 2024 and the CEO of the Greene College & Career Academy since 2017. In this dual role, he continues to lead GCCA while overseeing GCHS, a combined leadership model that has proven successful in rural school districts with high school college and career academies. 

Mr. Ellenberg, a native of Greene County and a 1991 graduate of GCHS (then Greene-Taliaferro Comprehensive High School), has a rich background in education. His educational career began as a high school science teacher and football coach, and prior to being named GCCA's CEO, he served as Principal of Newton High School for five years, managing a student body of over 2,400. During his tenure, he significantly improved student learning, post-graduate opportunities, and the school's College and Career Readiness Performance Index (CCRPI) scores. He also developed a strong athletic program, with teams frequently reaching regional and state playoffs. 

As GCCA's CEO, Mr. Ellenberg has guided the academy from its inception to a thriving organization offering 13 pathways in fine arts, advanced academics, and career, technical, and agricultural education. Under his leadership, GCCA has become a cornerstone of workforce development in Greene County, achieving a 100% graduation rate for pathway completers over the past five years, surpassing the state average by three points. GCCA's dual enrollment program with Athens Technical College has led to numerous college credits earned by high school students and a 100% college acceptance rate for its dual enrollment participants. Recently, GCCA received a perfect score in its first accreditation review from the Technical College System of Georgia, a testament to Ellenberg’s effective leadership.