Superintendent announces retirement at year’s end

In a surprise announcement, Lumpkin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rob Brown publicly declared his plans to retire from his position effective December 31, 2023. The move took place at the regular session of the Board of Education on Monday night.
Brown has 28 years of service in public education in Georgia, with seven-and-a-half years spent as Superintendent for Lumpkin County.
At the same meeting, Deputy Superintendent Sharon Head was unanimously selected by the board to be Brown’s likely successor on January 1, pending final approval.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to live and lead in Lumpkin County, and I am most appreciative of the amazing educators we have here who made my job more rewarding and enjoyable,” Brown said following the eventful meeting.

EDUCATIONAL LEADER

Brown began his career in 1996 as a teacher and coach. He would go on to serve as Executive Director of High Schools for Douglas County Schools, Principal of Hart County High School and Superintendent of Jeff Davis County Schools before joining Lumpkin County Schools in 2016.
Brown has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Jim Puckett Award from the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders.
“The Board of Education chose Dr. Rob Brown as our superintendent almost eight years ago now, and we appreciate what he has done for Lumpkin County Schools since beginning in 2016,” Board of Education Chairman Bobby Self stated in a press release.

SURPRISE ANNOUNCEMENT

Brown told The Nugget he had informed the school board of the news last week in executive session so that they could discuss what steps they wanted to take moving forward.
Brown said while the timing of his announcement may have caught some by surprise, the fact that he is retiring should not come as a shock.
“My wife fully retired at the end of the last school year and we have been trying to map out our plans. I met with my financial advisor and a Georgia TRS representative a couple of weeks ago. Those meetings led to my decision to retire in December,” Brown explained.

GRATEFUL EXIT

In prepared remarks, Brown thanked his colleagues in the local school system for their hard work and dedication.
“I am grateful to the Lumpkin County Board of Education for giving me an opportunity to lead this outstanding school system, and to work with the incredible educators who fill our school buildings each day ... I have had an amazing group of school and system leaders who made my job much easier and more enjoyable, and I am forever thankful for each of them,” Brown stated.
Brown thanked his predecessors in the role of Superintendent, David Luke and Dewey Moye, for their continued support of the local school system. He also praised all of the residents who have partnered with the system during his tenure “to better serve our students and our community.”
“We’ve been through some tough challenges together and because of their relentless focus on doing what is best for our students, our system will continue to thrive,” Brown added.

FUTURE PLANS

When asked by The Nugget what he will do next, Brown indicated that while he is definitely retiring from the Georgia's Teacher Retirement System, he is still undecided on what the future holds.
“Honestly, I have been trying to figure that out. I have a few options in the private sector that I am considering, but no decisions have been made. My wife would prefer that I just retire and enjoy life, but I am not yet ready to ride into the sunset,” Brown said.

ON DECK

The Board acted quickly on Monday to fill the anticipated vacancy by selecting Sharon Head as the sole finalist for the position.
Brown told The Nugget that Head has been an “incredible asset” to the Lumpkin County School System during his tenure as Superintendent.
“She is a solution-focused, pragmatic, and capable leader. As my assistant, she has provided great counsel while providing alternate perspectives and suggestions for how to handle issues. She has a wealth of knowledge on many topics and her experiences have prepared her well for this opportunity to lead the district,” Brown said.
Before the promotion of Head is finalized, however, the School Board must pause for 14 days to receive public input on the appointment. A press release distributed by the school system indicates that a final vote on the position will take place on October 16.
In that same press release, Self expressed his confidence in the Board’s selection of Head for the job.
“With over 30 years as an educator here in Lumpkin County Schools, we are confident that she will keep our district on its forward and upward trajectory. The Board did not feel that we needed to post a vacancy and interview candidates because we have the right person already here on staff who is well-prepared and ready to lead,” Self stated.
Vice Chairman Jim McClure acknowledged that Brown would be a tough act to follow, but echoed Self’s optimism that the Deputy Superintendent is the right choice.
“We are looking forward to continuing the great things happening in Lumpkin County Schools,” McClure stated.