Anthony W. Smith, superintendent of the Clayton County School District, announced his retirement on Friday.
“Serving as your superintendent/CEO has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” Smith said in a video published on Friday. “From my humble beginnings in southwest Atlanta, raised by a single mother, I could never have imagined the honor of leading one of the largest school systems in Georgia.”
His retirement will be effective on Feb. 1. This will give the board of education time to find a replacement before the beginning of the next school year, Smith said in his announcement.
Smith has led the school system since December 2022, when then-superintendent Morcease Beasley resigned and he was tapped as the interim leader. He was hired as the district’s permanent leader in June 2023.
Smith has held several positions in the district, including area superintendent, assistant superintendent of schools and middle and high school principal, according to his biography on the district’s website.
He cited improved academics, discipline rates, organizational structures and learning facilities as accomplishments during his time as the district’s leader.
“I know this is the right time to pass the torch and begin a new season,” Smith said, adding that he looks forward to spending time with his children and two grandchildren.
Roughly 50,000 students attend schools in Clayton County, located south of Atlanta. The district has about 8,000 employees.
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