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The search for Newton County Schools' next superintendent has begun. Here's what we know
GSBA Leading Edge Award
Superintendent Samantha Fuhrey and school board member Shakila Henderson-Baker pose for a photo with the 2021 GSBA Leading Edge Award. - photo by Courtesy of Newton County School System

COVINGTON, Ga. — The search for a new superintendent for the Newton County Schools System has officially begun. 

Shortly after current NCSS superintendent Samantha Fuhrey announced her retirementfrom the position she’s held for 10 years during Tuesday night’s Board of Education work session, BOE chair, Shakila Henderson-Baker provided the first pieces of public information regarding the school board’s search for a new leader. 

The board unanimously voted to approve a contract with the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) to conduct a search for the district’s next superintendent with Sam King, the GSBA’s director of board development and superintendent search service, will spearhead the process. 

“GSBA will conduct the search, solicit and process applications, perform screenings of candidates and receive recommendations and evaluations of candidates,” Henderson-Baker said. “They’ll also submit a report to our local school board with respect to determining those candidates appropriate for consideration.” 

Henderson-Baker did not provide a specific timetable for the selection of a new leader, but did say that GSBA “will also work in consultation with our board to establish a timetable and assist us with determine selection criteria.” 

She also said the GSBA would “process applications and arrange for interviews of potential candidates.

Fuhrey, a resident of Newton County for 31 years, had been in education for almost just as long. Her time at the helm of Newton County Schools has been a fairly celebrated tenure, and once the news of her coming retirement broke, she wasn’t short of well-wishers. 


And, despite her departure from her most visible position in her education career, Fuhrey said she plans to still be close enough to continue making impact with local education. 

Henderson-Baker also promised transparency from the Board as the superintendent search progresses. 

"We as a board have elected to be as transparent as possible with the community regarding the process for hiring our next superintendent," she said. "Because hiring is an executive session function, there will be certain things we cannot release. But when we can release information, we will most definitely remain transparent to the community.”