Henry County Schools Superintendent Search – February 2024

  • February 21, 2024:

    Dear Henry County Schools Community,

    While I hope you are enjoying a restful and restorative Winter Break, I wanted to personally reach out to thank you for your dedication to our nearly 44,000 students and 6,000 employees and share with you the plans our Board of Education has set in motion to identify the next leader for our district.

    Yesterday, at a Special Called Meeting I had the immense honor of being appointed Interim Superintendent, effective March 7, 2024. At upcoming meetings, the Board is expected to begin the process of identifying a search firm to guide us through this process. I look forward to working alongside the Board to ensure the process of identifying a permanent Superintendent occurs seamlessly.

    In the meantime, it is my honor to serve as your Interim Superintendent. My top priority is to provide stability as we maintain our shared focus on "Winning for Kids." I have the utmost confidence in our leaders, teachers, students, parents, and staff that we will finish the year strong, as our Board undertakes an exhaustive search for the next permanent leader of our district.

    From Assistant Principal to Chief Human Resources Officer, my commitment to Henry County Schools hasn't wavered in 21 years, and it is my pleasure to continue the vital work of our district in this newly appointed role.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Carl Knowlton

  • February 20, 2024:

    Dear Henry County Schools Community,

    We are pleased to announce that earlier today in a Special Called Meeting of the Board of Education, we took action on the resignation of Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis and the appointment of Dr. Carl Knowlton as Interim Superintendent of Henry County Schools, effective March 7, 2024.

    Dr. Knowlton is a longstanding member of the Henry County community and a devoted employee of Henry County Schools dating back to 2002 when he was hired as an assistant principal at Henry County Middle School. He has served in several key roles from Principal to Executive Director of Human Resources to Chief of Staff and most recently Chief Human Resources Officer.

    Dr. Knowlton is the ideal candidate to provide leadership to the district in this transitional period, ensuring that the 2023-2024 school year remains focused on the objective of “Winning for Kids” until the final tassel is turned at graduation.

    At upcoming meetings, the Board of Education will begin the process of identifying an external search firm to guide us through the steps necessary for the selection of our next permanent Superintendent. We fully intend to have a new Superintendent by the start of the 2024-2025 school year, and we’re committed to keeping the community informed throughout this process. You can now find a link to the “Superintendent Search” webpage on our district website at www.henry.k12.ga.us where this letter and future communications about this process will be updated and archived for our community.

    Finally, we would like to acknowledge the immense contributions of Dr. Davis toward ensuring a high-quality, world-class education for every student in Henry County Schools. Nearly seven years is an incredible commitment for a Superintendent. We are better having worked alongside Dr. Davis, and we wish her well in her new role in the Cherokee County School District.

    Please join us in congratulating Dr. Davis and welcoming Dr. Knowlton to the role of Interim Superintendent. With the support of our nearly 44,000 students and their families, alongside 6,000 employees and countless community partners, we have no doubt that we will have a seamless transition as we set the stage to find the right long-term leader to continue our “Pursuit of Exceptional” in Henry County Schools.

    Sincerely,

    Members of the Board of Education
    Board Chair Sophe Pope, District 4
    Board Vice Chair Annette Edwards, District 2
    Board Member Dr. Pam Nutt, District 1
    Board Member Holly Cobb, District 3
    Board Member Makenzie McDaniel, District 5

  • February 16, 2024:

    Dear Henry County Schools Community,

    As you are aware, the Cherokee County School District took action last night to appoint Dr. Mary Elizabeth Davis as its next Superintendent. 

    We are committed to ensuring a smooth and stable transition that keeps our core business of student learning at the center of all we do in Henry County Schools.

    We will hold a Special Called Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 4:00 p.m., with the purpose of taking action to initiate the transition process, which will begin with the naming of an Interim Superintendent. This will soon be followed by securing a search firm to begin a search intended to have a new Superintendent in place by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

    We commit to keeping you informed throughout this process, which will be guided by our vision to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student.


    Sincerely,

    Members of the Board of Education
    Board Chair Sophe Pope, District 4
    Board Vice Chair Annette Edwards, District 2
    Board Member Dr. Pam Nutt, District 1
    Board Member Holly Cobb, District 3
    Board Member Makenzie McDaniel, District 5