The White County Board of Education announced on Monday that the search to find the school system’s next superintendent will soon begin.
Board members voted to partner with Pioneer RESA (Regional Educational Service Agency) to facilitate the search during a called meeting on Oct. 20. The board approved the retirement of current Superintendent Laurie Burkett on Sept. 25. Burkett plans to retire at the end of March 2026. She was named superintendent in 2018.
“The Board of Education understands the significance of this search and is dedicated to a thorough process to ensure a superintendent is selected who will best serve our students, staff, and community for years to come,” School Board Chair Missy Jarrard said. “The board is committed to a search that attracts top-tier candidates and to identifying the most highly qualified individual to lead our district.”
Pioneer RESA will consult with Georgia Leadership Associates in the search. GLA, formerly King-Cooper and Associates, has been conducting searches in Georgia for more than 25 years.
Pioneer RESA Director Tim Cochran will carry out the school board’s directives to advertise the vacancy. Announcements will be distributed to all school districts and Regional Educational Service Agencies across Georgia. The vacancy will be posted on the websites of the White County School System, the Georgia School Superintendents Association, and GLA.
“It is our job to support the White County Board of Education in the search and provide the best possible information to the board, but neither I nor GLA will tell the board who to hire,” Cochran said. “The board will independently make the decision. Our job is to secure a strong pool of applicants and assist the board in the process of selecting the very best superintendent for White County schools. There will be strong interest in this position due to the outstanding reputation of the school system, the students, the community, and the board.”
Cochran will assist school board members in creating a leadership profile. The profile will outline “the competencies, skills, characteristics, and qualities” desired in the next superintendent, according to the release.
The board will also develop a comprehensive timeline for the search process and community members and employees will be surveyed to help establish a candidate profile.
Pioneer RESA will receive and process all applications, conduct reference checks on each applicant, and manage all related communications. All candidate information will be presented to the school board for consideration. The school board will maintain the confidentiality of applicants until a public announcement is made on the selected finalist.