Carrollton City Schools Board of Education members unanimously voted to hire Dr. Kent Edwards, assistant superintendent of the system, as the new superintendent as of July 1, 2010.

“As we were convening our search, we realized very quickly that the best selection for the next superintendent has been right here with us,” said Board of Education Chairman Dr. Michael Rothschild.

Edwards has been working at the Carrollton City Schools since 2005, when he was hired as the high school principal. He was named assistant superintendent in 2008 and served as interim superintendent this summer.

Edwards has 22 years of experience in school administration beginning in 1987 when he was principal of Elgin Public Schools. He also served as assistant principal at a number of high schools both in Georgia and his home state of Nebraska. Edwards came to Carrollton High School from Marietta Middle School where he was serving as principal. He also served as assistant and associate principal of Marietta High School.

All that experience, and especially Edwards’ experience with the city school system, is what convinced board member Lynn Kress that he was the man for the job.

“We got to try him out a little bit over the summer when Mr. (Tom) Wilson was on vacation and I think everybody appreciated the guidance you gave us,” Kress said. “We all have a real good feeling about it and we’re looking forward to working with you.”

The school board started its superintendent search last year after current Superintendent Tom Wilson announced his retirement. The board members re-hired Wilson as half-time (20 hours a week) superintendent for this school year while they conducted their search and to work with the new superintendent as he or she became acclimated to the system.

“I think what Kent’s going to bring to the table is expertise in some areas that we can really move ahead in in curriculum and instruction and overall leadership,” Wilson said. “Between now and June 30, I’ll be working with Kent to assist him and advise him and answer questions, but let him start to kind of mold this thing for next year because it will be his budget, his hiring process.”

Edwards takes over the system at a challenging time. The state is facing a budget crisis and education is one of those systems feeling the pain of unprecedented budget cuts.

“I think that our whole process of how we do business in an efficient and transparent way is something I’m really going to put my attention to,” Edwards said. “We have a unique time right now in terms of a financial crisis if you will in education. So, to be a very efficient school system, to use our resources to our greatest benefit I think is going to be a challenge.”

However, he feels comfortable meeting that challenge having gained a broad base of experience with the school system that he can draw upon. Having served in many positions in the system and having experienced how many of the different departments work together, have given him a unique perspective of the system, he said.

Even while he deals with the challenges that the school system is facing, Edwards plans to move forward. He hopes to expand some of the partnerships with other local institutions including the University of West Georgia, West Georgia Technical College and the Carrollton Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.

“We have a long line of good superintendents in this school system,” board member Joe McGinnis said. “Each one has built upon the other. ... Each superintendent has made their mark, and I’m looking forward to Dr. Edwards doing the same.”

Edwards received his bachelor of arts in education and master of arts in educational administration at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. He earned a doctor of education degree in education leadership from NOVA Southeastern University.