Dr. Looney has accepted the position of Superintendent with Fulton County Schools in Georgia, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Dr. Looney was selected by the Fulton County School Board as the only finalist for the position on April 17.
Fulton County District is Georgia’s fourth largest district with 95,000 students and 106 schools. Williamson County Schools has 48 schools and approximately 40,000 students.
In a statement previously published by the Williamson County School Board, the Board thanked Dr. Looney for his service and wished him the best on his next endeavor.
Jay Galbreath, WCS School Board District 6, shared a letter that Dr. Looney sent to school board members Thursday morning:
Today, I was formally offered an employment contract with Fulton County Schools. I have accepted the offer and will begin my new position on June 17, 2019.
Williamson County Schools (WCS) has an extremely talented and knowledgeable leadership team and school board. I am confident WCS won’t miss a beat during this period of change.
It has been a tremendous privilege to work, play, and raise a family in this community. This is truly a special place thanks in large part to the dedication of WCS’ team members, unwavering support from parents and the broader community, and our great students. As I wrap up my work here and begin transitioning to another great community, I want to thank you for an amazing journey. It has been exceedingly rewarding, and I will forever be grateful for those that were willing to walk with me as we strived to make WCS an even better place for students.
School districts do not rise or fall based on the person occupying the superintendent’s office. Rather, the quality of a district is nothing more-or-less than a reflection of a community’s priorities. I pray that providing every student with access to a traditional high-quality public education will remain front and center in Williamson Countians’ public discourse.
The Williamson County School Board will name an interim superintendent and establish the effective date of that leadership transition at their May meeting.
In 2015, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) offered Dr. Looney the position as superintendent, but Dr. Looney declined the job citing the overwhelming community support as one of his main reasons for staying with Williamson County Schools.
Dr. Looney was named Superintendent of the Year in 2016.
So happy our daughter attended FHS under his tenure-she received a fantastic education!