In each school district across the country, there are various positions of leadership. In DeKalb County, the superintendent holds the highest role within the district school board. According to AACSB, “[The] superintendent is the chief executive officer, responsible for the overall management of the district, including the administration of schools, the development and implementation of policies and programs, and the management of personnel and resources.” Every school across the district is dependent on the decisions the superintendent makes, so the person in the position is heavily relied upon. DeKalb County’s former superintendent, Dr. Devon Horton, recently resigned after several financial queries surfaced regarding his prior work in an Illinois school district. According to CBSNews, “A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted Dr. Devon Horton on 17 counts, including wire fraud, embezzlement, and tax evasion.” The DeKalb County Board of Education made the decision to appoint Dr. Norman C. Sauce III as the acting superintendent after receiving Dr. Horton’s resignation. While he is only temporarily in the position, teachers at Chamblee are optimistic upon his arrival. Ms. Iris Staten hoped for positive change relating to her job as a teacher at CHS.
“We need leadership that is going to recognize the true needs of the school. If we have a leader who understands that, then more money can be directed to my students, and perhaps we could also get the benefits that all teachers deserve,” said Ms. Staten.
This decision is especially important and personal for many teachers at CHS because Dr. Sauce was the principal of Chamblee High from 2015-2017. When Dr. Sauce was at Chamblee, teachers found him to be congenial and humble; this attitude didn’t stop once he resigned as principal and moved up to the county office where he’s worked since 2017. Dr. Kathryn Zuehlke explained her appreciation for Dr. Sauce and his attitude towards teachers…