Head of Macon’s Academy for Classical Education retires after one year

The Governing Board of the Academy for Classical Education in Macon announced Monday it has accepted the retirement of Head of School Lara Relyea.

The retirement announcement comes after recent controversy over the school’s handling of flag protocols, but school officials did not comment on whether the two events were correlated.

The school has appointed its co-founder, Laura Perkins, as interim leader while undertaking “a national search for a permanent Head of School who is trained in classical education,” according to a news release provided by ACE Governing Board Chairman Thomas “Witt” Gaither.

Relyea’s retirement comes less than two weeks after ACE drew online criticism from parents and community members for not lowering the American flag on Sept. 11, a move that coincided with orders from President Donald Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp for all flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in Utah earlier this month, according to state officials.

School officials issued a public apology to local media in response to parental concerns last week.

Relyea was hired to serve as the charter school’s leader in 2024, according to an ACE Facebook post. Relyea served in many roles at the academy prior to replacing Perkins.

Gaither has not responded to The Telegraph’s inquiries about whether Relyea’s departure was prompted by the flag controversy and its aftermath.

In a statement, board members thanked Relyea for her years of service.

To guide the school through what the board described as a period of transition, Perkins, who previously retired, will serve as interim head.

“Mrs. Perkins’ willingness to step out of retirement to guide the school during this period is greatly appreciated,” the statement said. “We are confident her steady leadership will ensure that ACE continues to deliver on its mission.”

The board said ACE’s commitment to its scholars remains steadfast, highlighting the school’s mission to build the foundation of knowledge and necessary critical thinking skills for children to become independent thinkers with a classical education that “enables students to learn how to think, not what to think.”

The board acknowledged the uncertainty that this transition may bring but reassured families that it is willing to address any ongoing concerns.

“It is our hope that the selection of Mrs. Perkins as the Interim Head of School alleviates many of those concerns. Furthermore, we intend to meet with our faculty and staff in the days and weeks to come to listen to any concerns that may remain,” the board said.

The Academy for Classical Education is a state public charter school under the State Charter Schools of Georgia. The academy transferred from local authorizer Bibb County Schools to the state in 2019, according to previous reporting by The Telegraph.

Relyea could not be immediately reached for comment prior to publication.