Ohio administrator tapped to be superintendent in DeKalb County (Ga.) school district

From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Ending a two-year search, the DeKalb County (Ga.) School District has selected Lorain (Ohio) school superintendent Cheryl L.H. Atkinson to become its top administrator. Atkinson will be moving from an 8,000-student district with one high school to one with nearly 98,000 students and a dozen high schools. Atkinson has experience in larger districts: she was a deputy superintendent in Kansas City, Mo., an associate superintendent in Charleston, S.C., and a regional superintendent in Charlotte, N.C. Earlier this year, Atkinson was a finalist for superintendent jobs in Atlanta and Cleveland.

ALSO...from The Lorain Morning Journal: In Lorain, Atkinson began her tenure by confronting a financial crisis that led to the layoff of one-third of the teaching staff to balance the budget. She subsequently began to work on strengthening school finances, building relationships with parents, teachers and staff, improving student academic performance and raising the graduation rate.

Earlier... APRIL 2011...from WSBTV.com: All three finalists for the school superintendent's job in theDeKalb County (Ga.)district have withdrawnfrom consideration. Lillie Cox, superintendent of Hickory (N.C.)Public Schools, who was considered the top finalist, pulled her name out of the running over the weekend. Gloria Davis, of Decatur (Ill.)Public Schools withdrew weeks ago, and Arthur Culver, superintendent in Champaign, Ill.,pulled out Monday night.