Hart BOE Names Jay Floyd Sole Finalist for School Superintendent

The Hart County Board of Education has named its sole finalist for the job of Superintendent of Schools.

At a called meeting Monday evening, the board named Jay Floyd as their single finalist.

Interim superintendent Jennifer Carter said after reviewing applications and interviewing a number of excellent candidates, the Hart County Board of Education determined Floyd was the best applicant for the position of Superintendent.

Floyd is a native of Hart County and graduated from Hart County High School, but he currently serves as the principal of Lowndes High School in Valdosta.

“From my understanding, that high school is very large,” Carter said Tuesday. “They pretty much have the number of students in their high school we have in our entire school system. They have about 3,000 students. He has eight assistant principals working under him. So, it’s actually a very large school compared to our high school.”

The Board selected Floyd from a pool of 23 applications received from across Georgia and the southeast.

In making its decision, the Board specifically sought a Superintendent who would work with all elements of the community and school system to establish goals and who would lead the school system to achieve those y goals over time.

Carter said board members also relied on input from teachers and the community regarding the traits needed for a school superintendent.

Among those traits was a superintendent with prior success as a classroom teaher and a willingness to listen to parents and staff, as well as an ability to be a visible part of the schools and the community.

They were also looking for someone, Carter said with an ability to direct the system’s financial affairs, and a strong work ethic. The Board also considered Floyd’s wide range of experiences at various levels of educational leadership.

Floyd earned his Bachelor of Science degree and his Master’s degree from Carson-Newman College and holds an Education Specialist degree in school administration from Lincoln Memorial University.

He began his teaching career as a teacher and coach at West Rome High School in 1989. He served as assistant football coach at Carson-Newman College from 1990 to 1994 and as an instructional supervisor at Dalton High School from 1994 to 2001.

He also worked as assistant principal of Cartersville High School and then as principal of Cartersville High School from 2001 to 2012. He most recently served as principal of Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia.

Floyd will be working with Interim Superintendent Jennifer Carter in the coming weeks to achieve a smooth transition of leadership.

Carter said she is looking forward to working with Floyd.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with him,” Carter said. “Everyone has great things to say about him. So, I look forward to working with him and learning from him.”

The Board must now wait the required 14 days before officially hiring Floyd.

Carter said in the coming weeks, details of Floyd’s employment will be developed by the Board and formal action to employ him as Superintendent is expected in mid-August.

Floyd and his family are expected to move to Hart County in the immediate future and he hopes to begin work as Superintendent as soon as possible.

Carter said an official start date has not yet been determined.