Chris Stirn
My name is Chris Stirn, and I am beginning my 6th year as a Talley Street Upper Elementary parent. My wife and I are the parents of a fifth (Onraka) and eighth grader in the City Schools of Decatur. I believe that a fundamental strength of our schools is participation from the stakeholders and community, supporting the evolution and planning for the school to serve the students best. I desire to continue to actively participate in the growth and development of Talley Street Upper Elementary, which creates the most supportive and constructive environment for the students, staff, parents, and community. I have a masters in Criminal Justice, have owned and operated many businesses, and worked on strategic planning and consulting projects. I have been an active Talley Street member since its inaugural year of 2019, an SCLT representative to the district, and on the Safe Routes To School committee for Talley Street and Winnona Park Elementary. I seek a second term at Talley to continue the productive efforts to create positive outcomes for all across the diverse and complex aspects that make a healthy, thriving, and effective school and district.
Travis Moyer
My name is Travis Moyer, and I am excited to submit my candidacy for the School Leadership Team (SLT) at Talley Street Upper Elementary. As a parent with a 3rd grader at Talley and a 2nd grader at Clairemont Elementary, I have a vested interest in ensuring that our schools provide a safe, supportive, and enriching environment for all students.
Since moving to Decatur, I have taken an active role in our local education community. At Clairemont, I currently serve on the Safe School Committee, where I collaborate with the Parks and Recreation Department to address relevant safety initiatives. This experience has strengthened my belief in the power of community involvement and the importance of making thoughtful, data-driven decisions to support our schools.
Professionally, I have dedicated my career to education. I have taught both high school science and elementary grades, giving me a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities in our school systems. For the past 11 years, I have worked with an education-focused company specializing in virtual learning. In my current role, I develop curriculum, lead a team of elementary teachers, and work closely with schools and districts on issues such as the adoption of new technologies like AI. This blend of teaching and leadership experience gives me a deep understanding of both the classroom and administrative sides of education.
I am passionate about using my skills and experience to contribute to the continuous improvement of Talley Street Elementary. Serving on the SLT would be a wonderful opportunity to help guide decisions that enhance student achievement, foster family engagement, and support the overall success of our school. I look forward to the possibility of working collaboratively with other parents, staff, and stakeholders to create positive, meaningful change for our students.
Amy Hoying
My name is Amy Hoying, and I would be honored to serve as your SLT representative. This will be my fifth year as a parent at Talley, and my seventeenth year living in Decatur. My husband Patrick and I have a fourth grader at Talley and a newly minted sixth grader at Beacon Hill. I currently serve as chair of Talley PTO’s Book Fair committee, and helped our librarian, Ashley Long, bring a new, equitable book fair model to Talley. Professionally, I’ve spent most of my career as a management consultant, helping nonprofit, government agency, and commercial enterprise leadership teams develop strategic plans and navigate large-scale change implementations. If I am elected, I believe this expertise will be valuable as the SLT works with Talley’s administrative team to develop and implement the school’s improvement plan.
Serving on the SLT provides parents with a unique opportunity to have a direct voice in our school’s decision-making process. Equitable access to education is a foundational principle of our democracy, and ensuring that our school system works for all of our students is my primary concern. I’d love to represent the Talley community on the SLT and work with our teachers, administrators, and families to implement research-backed strategies that raise achievement and contribute to the success of our children.
Samantha McMahan
My name is Samantha McMahan. I’m the mother of 2 children in the City Schools of Decatur district. My eldest is 12 and in 7th grade at Beacon Hill Middle School. My youngest has just started in 3rd grade here at Talley Street Upper Elementary School and she loves it so far (but she misses Winnona Park still!). Our son disappears into his room to play video games most days, but he should see the sun on a semi-regular basis this school year since he just signed up for Beacon Hill Ultimate Frisbee! ;-) Our daughter is into, well, a lot: karate, archery, singing, dancing, guitar, athletics, art, play dates with friends, dress making (fashion design for her Barbies!), home design (making box homes for our two cats!), and Boba! I come from the U.K., but married my U.S. husband in 1999. We lived together in Germany for a few years after my husband’s undergrad and my master’s graduations. While we originally had planned to return to the U.K. to buy a house and make a life there, the global economy tanked and plans changed. That is when we decided to make Atlanta our permanent home. We lived in Toco Hills, Inman Park and Virginia Highlands, but when we decided to raise a family, the destination was clear - Decatur and CSD! We have resided in Decatur since April 2005 and we love this community. My academic background is in modern languages, and I used to be a teacher of English and German (in the U.S., Germany and the U.K. teaching preschool, high school, college and adult instruction levels). However, after moving to the U.S., I’ve worked in corporate immigration for 20+ years. My husband works in the solar power industry.
I would like to be on the School Leadership Team because I love to give back to the community. I found my years in teaching ultra rewarding, but I know how challenging the role can be as a teacher. Likewise, I can understand parent concerns regarding testing, grading, communications, budget, etc. I have gained significant expertise supporting Atlanta and CSD at the schools my children have attended:
PTA President (AFDS; 2012 – 2015)
Secretary/Community Member (College Heights; 2016 – present)
SLT (Winnona Park; 2017 – 2020)
SCLT (Winnona Park 2017 – 2020; College Heights; 2023 – 2024)
PTO Vice President (Talley Street; 2021 – 2023)
As an SLT/Advisory Council member, it gives me a chance to do something I truly enjoy, to support the school and CSD, but also to expand my ever-growing knowledge of the U.S. school system and its governance here in Decatur. So far I have found that there are many similarities to the system I grew up with in the U.K., but also a significant number of differences. Having an international background, plus my global teaching experience, enables me to bring a fresh perception of the U.S. system and can be extremely helpful in many SLT situations. Being your SLT member should allow me to passionately represent our community’s parents and their opinions to the school. I’m enthusiastic, I love to help people, and I find serving on an SLT extremely gratifying and worthwhile. Please vote for me and I promise to represent all parent voices to the school to the very best of my ability!
