MARIETTA - Jeanie Carter, who has served on the Marietta City School Board for nearly 16 years, will step down when her term expires Dec. 31.

But Carter, who taught in the district before serving on the board, says she won't go away.

"I hope to still be around for the betterment of the school system. I've been working for Marietta City Schools for 48 years and will continue to do so until Hanley picks me up," Carter said with a laugh, referring to the Hanley-Shelton Funeral Home.

Carter said she wanted to devote her time to writing poetry and a memoir. The grandmother of four began teaching first grade at the all-black Lemon Street Elementary School in 1957 when she was 22, and later experienced the integration of the city schools system, which she said was a relatively smooth process.

She retired from Marietta Middle School in 1991 and was elected to the board in 1993.

Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck said Carter's experience, perspective and student focus have been invaluable.

"During her combined 49 years of service to Marietta City Schools she has served as an important educational and community leader and role model," Lembeck said, noting Carter had inspired significant changes to improve the district and increase student achievement.

Stuart Fleming, 32, has announced his candidacy for the seat. Fleming, 32, works in strategy and operations for Coca-Cola Enterprises. His sister, Jennifer Bartlett, teaches at Davis Elementary, and his father, James Fleming, Ph.D., is a former president of the Kennesaw State University Foundation.

Fleming and his wife, Kim Fleming, who has a Ph.D. and works with SunTrust, are expecting their first child.

Two other members of the school board, Tom Smith in Ward 6 and Scott Allen in Ward 1, also will not seek re-election. Qualifying for the races opens on Aug. 31 and ends Sept. 2.

In Ward 6, Thomas Cheater and Michelle Cooper Kelly have announced their candidacies.

Cheater is general manager of North America portfolio operations at BT Global, a telecommunications provider. His twin son and daughter attend the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy.

Kelly is a manager with Anheuser-Busch. Her son attends the Marietta Center for Advanced Academics, and she has a daughter at Sawyer Road Elementary. She also has a younger daughter.

In Ward 1, Logan Weber is the sole announced candidate. Weber, 30, is a 1997 graduate of Marietta High School. He is an investment trader with Grove Services. He and his wife, Katie, are the parents of a baby girl and live in Frasier Park, near Park Street Elementary.

The four other school board members intend to defend their seats. They are board Chairman Tony Fasola (Ward 2); Jill Mutimer (Ward 4); Randy Weiner, (Ward 3); and Irene Berens (Ward 7).