(Dec. 3, 2010, 11:30 p.m.) Rockdale County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Samuel King was named 2011 Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia Schools Superintendent Association and Georgia School Board Association on Friday.

This is King’s third consecutive time as a finalist for the award.

King has been Superintendent at RCPS since 2005. Among other distinctions, RCPS has achieved Adequate Yearly Progress for the system for the past five years and AYP for every RCPS school for the last two. The nomination cited additional accomplishments under King’s leadership including a debt-free school system and developing and implementing a five-year strategic plan drawing on community input to assist in its planning and oversight.

"It is an honor to have been chosen for this prestigious award, and I thank my family for their continued support through the long hours of my position," said King. "I am fortunate to have the support of knowledgeable board members who share the vision of excellence for Rockdale County, and I am privileged to lead the hard-working and dedicated Cabinet members, principals, administrators, teachers, and support staff who make our students their number one priority every day."

According to a released statement, the district has experienced rapidly grown and changed over the past decade, going from 13,000 students with only 27 percent economically disadvantaged and 32 percent minority to 16,000 students, 63 percent economically disadvantaged and more than 70 percent minority. Yet the level of student achievement has risen instead of dropping, as studies have show is the typical trend with that pattern of change.

The other finalists were Chris Erwin, Superintendent, Banks County Schools, Dr. Emily Lembeck, Superintendent, Marietta City Schools, Leonard McCoy, Superintendent, Colquitt County Schools. The four finalists were chosen from among a field of 20 superintendents who had been nominated, three-fourths of them placed in nomination by the members of their local boards of education. All four finalists completed a lengthy document prepared by the American Association of School Administrators and submitted it for a second round of judging. King will go on to represent Georgia in the national competition

King began his career as a fifth grade math and science teacher in Stone Mountain and has worked more than 26 years within the public education system. He has taught on the middle and high school levels and served in various administrative capacities, including assistant principal, principal, area executive officer, and area assistant superintendent. Preceding his appointment, he was assistant superintendent for a district of more than 50,000 students.

A native of Smithville, King attended Mercer University in Macon where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Middle Grades Education. He later earned a Masters Degree and Specialist Degree in Education Administration and Supervision from State University of West Georgia and a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota.

In 2008, he was named Outstanding Educator by the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL).

King and his wife Pearl are residents of Rockdale County. They have three sons and a daughter.

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(Dec. 3, 2010, 1:31 p.m.) Rockdale County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Sam King was named Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia Schools Superintendent Association on Friday afternoon.

King was named at the annual GSBA/GSSA Winter Conference at the Waverly Hotel in Cobb County.
This is King's third consecutive nomination as a finalist for the award.

The other finalists were Mr. Chris Erwin, Superintendent, Banks County Schools, Dr. Emily Lembeck, Superintendent, Marietta City Schools, Mr. Leonard McCoy, Superintendent, Colquitt County Schools.

The four finalists were chosen from among a field of 20 superintendents who had been nominated, three-fourths of them placed in nomination by the members of their local boards of education. All four finalists completed a lengthy document prepared by the American Association of School Administrators and submited it for a second round of judging. King will go on to represent Georgia in the national competition.

Check back to www.rockdalenews.com for the full story or see the Dec. 4 edition of The Rockdale News.