GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Georgia’s largest school district is asking families to weigh in on the search for a new superintendent, months after the controversial firing of its previous leader.
The Gwinnett County School Board has scheduled five public hearings over the next two weeks. An independent search firm based in Chicago will gather feedback from parents and residents about the qualities they want in the district’s next superintendent.
Parent Steve Smith said he plans to attend a meeting but doubts the board will use community input. “They say they’re going to find out what the citizens want and then they’ll throw it in the trash, and they’ll completely ignore it,” Smith said.
Board Chair Adrienne Simmons pushed back against that view, saying the process is both transparent and inclusive. “This is not a decision that our board is taking lightly, and it’s not a decision that our board wants to make on its own,” Simmons said.
The board voted earlier this year to terminate former Superintendent Calvin Watts’ contract more than a year before it was set to expire. While no reason was given for the decision, Watts had faced criticism from some parents over a student discipline policy they argued wasn’t effective.
Watts had served about four years, following the 25-year tenure of longtime superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks.
District leaders say the feedback collected during the hearings will be used to create a candidate profile focusing on skills and experience for the next superintendent.
WSB’s Steve Summers contributed to this story
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