Jim Hawkins

DALTON, Ga. — Members of the Dalton Board of Education are planning for the school system’s next superintendent. 

During Monday night’s executive session on personnel — closed to the public and the media — board members discussed the timing of making a move to a new superintendent in relation to the school year and school board elections.

Superintendent Jim Hawkins’ contract with the school system runs through December of 2018 but during the discussion — which could be heard easily outside of the third-floor conference room at City Hall — Hawkins floated several options that included making a retirement announcement in October or November of this year and transitioning to a new superintendent. Hawkins has been superintendent since 2009.

Contacted after the meeting that included the executive session, Hawkins said he wouldn’t talk about what was discussed in the closed session, but did acknowledge that a smooth transition for Dalton Public Schools is a priority for him.

“I think transition is really important,” Hawkins said. “I haven’t made any secret that I am a 3-5-year man and I am going to retire. When that comes, I want to make sure we do that in a responsible way. We want continuity in succession. That is one of the five board priorities and that is for all top positions like principals and board members. We don’t want breaks in that. It is a very important topic.”

Asked if he plans to fulfill his contract or if he has been given an opportunity to resign by the board, Hawkins said he plans on fulfilling his contact.

“As of right now, at a minimum, my plan is to continue that contract,” Hawkins said. “I haven’t made a decision on asking for an extension on this contract.”

School board Chairman Rick Fromm denied that the board is bringing any pressure on Hawkins to resign.

“As far as the board is concerned, it is Jim’s timeline,” Fromm said. “He has not asked for another contract at this time and that is not necessarily relative going on from here as far as administrative positions and directions we are going to be taking. It is important for us from the board, you know, we have an election coming up, so there could be transition that we have to deal with. Obviously, administration and succession planning is always a topic. That is in his court. The board direction on that is not the topic we had here. He has not been fired or those kind of things. It is still in his court and he will determine that transition point.”

Government entities such as school boards, city councils and county commissions may meet in executive session for specific and limited reasons, including to discuss personnel, real estate and some legal matters.

But the nearly two-hour executive session Monday night included discussions by board members of political fallout from raising taxes, the political timing of whether an announcement about the superintendent should be made before or after school board election qualifying and perception by the public about such a move. None of those fall under discussion of personnel or the acquisition of property or discussions with the board’s attorney on certain matters, which are other valid reasons to close a public meeting, according to Georgia’s Open Meetings Act. The board’s discussions also turned to budgetary matters, elimination of teaching positions, disabilities in learning and computers for all students. 

“Jim was here to kind of inform the discussion as opposed to last time he was left out and we had a board discussion,” Fromm said after the meeting, referring to an hour-long closed session in January. “Basically, consensus as far as me to give direction to the administration from that, so nothing more I can really say with it because of it being an executive session.”

Hawkins has been under fire from certain members of the board and the community in the past. Divisions on the board have been seen regarding a proposal for a new 6-12 grade school that was stymied in 2015 following months of discussions, and over criticism about the school system’s test scores and literacy performance. During public comments at board meetings in the past year, some community members have told the board members and Hawkins that more opportunities for public input and hearings are needed.

Hawkins gained a vote of confidence from the board in August of last year when members emerged from an executive session of more than three-and-a-half hours focusing on personnel.