"I am grateful to the Barrow County Board of Education for their trust and humbled by the opportunity to serve as the next Superintendent of the Barrow County School System. I am committed to working with staff, students, parents, and community members to build upon the outstanding legacy of Barrow County Schools. My wife, Crystal, and our two children, Avery and Davis, are honored and excited to make this wonderful community our home."

In conjunction with naming Dr. LeDuff as the sole finalist, the Barrow County Board of Education is officially releasing his biographical information.

Allen McCannon of King-Cooper & Associates made the following comments about the search and the applicant: "The Barrow County Board of Education has worked very hard in this process. The system conducted 16 interviews. Dr. LeDuff did an outstanding job for the Oconee County School System. He is known for having a passion to help students and a calm, professional demeanor. The Barrow County Board of Education believes that he is the best candidate to lead the system."

Jordan Raper, Chair of the Board of Education, stated the following: "All candidates went through a very deliberate and thorough search process. All Board members understood the importance of this decision and have worked hard to ensure our selection will meet the needs of our schools and our community. We believe that Dr. LeDuff will provide the school system with excellent leadership, and we are excited to work with him."

BCSS Moves forward With Superintendent Search

[March 13, 2024 Press Release] The Barrow County Board of Education continues to work on selecting a new Superintendent of schools. Planning for the search began in December 2023. The Board asked King-Cooper and Associates, a superintendent search firm, to serve as consultants for the search. The position was advertised with an application deadline of March 1, 2024.

This job announcement has generated some national interest from prospective applicants. Information about the search is available below. The Board also conducted an online survey that was completed by over 1,700 community members and school district staff. The results from this online survey were closely reviewed by the BOE.

APPLICANT REVIEW & INTERVIEW PROCESS

On Monday, March 11, 2024, the Board reviewed applicants and began planning the interview process. Interviews will begin in March and continue for several weeks. After the first round of interviews, the Board will select certain candidates for the second round of interviews in April.

The Barrow County BOE received 26 applicants for the position.  Board Chair Jordan Raper said, “We are thoroughly analyzing all application packets. This is a critical decision, and the Board is committed to selecting an excellent leader for our school system."

Barrow County School System Superintendent Search Begins

[Jan. 11, 2024 Press Release] – The search for the next Superintendent of the Barrow County School System is underway. At their Jan. 2 Work Session, the Board of Education voted to use King-Cooper & Associates to facilitate the search. The search firm will carry out the Board’s directives to advertise the vacant position across the state and nation. The vacancy announcement is posted below. It will be mailed to all school districts in Georgia and to all Georgia RESAs. It will also be posted on the websites of the Georgia School Boards Association, the Georgia School Superintendents Association, and the search firm. "We believe we have an outstanding school system. All board members are determined in finding the best candidate to lead our district," said Jordan Raper, Board Chair.

ANTICIPATED TIMELINE:

King-Cooper and Associates presented the Board tentative timeline which includes accepting applications until March 1, 2024. The Board has developed a schedule for the search that allows sufficient time for each step and that is anticipated to conclude with the selection of the new Superintendent by April 2024. During the search process, the Board surveyed community members and employees to establish a profile to evaluate applications. The search plan includes several board meetings to review applications and to prepare for the interview process.

It is the Board’s desire to conduct a thorough search process that involves the community and employees while maintaining the necessary confidentiality of applicants until there is public release of finalist(s) as specified by state statute. The Board anticipates conducting the first round of interviews in March. A fixed number of interviews to conduct will not be established until the applicant pool is reviewed. The Board hopes to announce one, two, or three finalists for the position by April and to make the final selection and complete the process by the end of April.

APPLICANT REVIEW PROCESS:

King-Cooper and Associates will receive and process all applications, research all applicants for the Board, handle all communications with applicants, and present all information on all applicants for the Board’s consideration. The Board will use the profile from stakeholder surveys and input to determine who to interview and select as Superintendent. “We handle the details of the search and provide the best possible information for the Board to make a good decision, but we do not tell the Board who to hire,” stated Dr. Allen McCannon, lead facilitator of the search. “Our job is to secure a strong pool of applicants and to assist the Board to select the very best Superintendent for Barrow County.” 

Based on early interest, the Board’s planning, and the track record of the search firm, a significant number of applicants from across Georgia, other states, and a variety of leadership roles is expected. Frank King, Senior Partner of King-Cooper & Associates said, "There will be strong interest in this position because of the reputation of the school system, the community, and the Board. Barrow County’s location and history of educational excellence will encourage individuals to apply."