The Cobb Board of Education on Thursday voted to appoint Sprayberry High School principal Ed Wagner to the same position at Kell High School. 

Wagner has been principal at Sprayberry for the last two years and has been in the administration at the Sandy Plains Road school for the last eight years. 

He succeeds Trudie Donovan, who retired abruptly in June, and was charged last month with violating state law by not reporting an allegation of child abuse within 24 hours.

A former Kell social studies teacher, James Chadwick Brigham, is facing charges of battery and sexual battery following complaints by two students near the end of the school year in May. 

School board member David Banks, whose Post 5 includes the Sprayberry district, says he has mixed feelings about Wagner's move. 

"Ed's done a great job at Sprayberry, but I hate to see him leave," Banks said. "I know he'll do a fabulous job at Kell."

Wagner begins at Kell on Monday.