Patterson named as new Fayette County school superintendent

The Fayette County public school system officially has a new superintendent. The Board of Education voted 5-0 Aug. 24 to appoint Jonathan S. Patterson to the post following a nationwide search. Patterson currently serves as Gwinnett County’s associate superintendent of curriculum and instructional support.

His new contract is for a three-year term that begins Oct. 1 and goes through September 2023, with an annual salary of $240,000 plus monthly expenses. In the meantime, he will be a paid consultant to help coordinate the transition with outgoing superintendent Joseph Barrow Jr., whose last day on the job will be Sept. 30.

Barrow was originally scheduled to retire in June, but agreed to stay on a few months longer to help the system deal with starting the school year under coronavirus restrictions. Board Chair Scott Hollowell said Patterson is “the right leader at the right time,” while also thanking Barrow for his seven-year tenure and leadership during the current crisis.

About the Author

Jill Howard Church For the AJC

A baby had 30 broken bones. Parents blamed a car crash, police say.

The parents of a 5-month-old are facing multiple charges after doctors determined the infant had more than 30 broken bones.

Deputies kill man who chased them with knife, then find his mom dead, police say

Deputies came to the home near Acworth for a wellness check. After the gunfire, the sheriff’s office said deputies smelled “an odor of decay” and found the body of a woman.

What would a second Dickens term mean for the metro Atlanta region?

Some officials, like Atlanta City Council member Matt Westmoreland, say the change toward a more unified metro Atlanta already is underway.

The Latest

Credit: AP

Atlanta’s Jamaican community rallies as Hurricane Melissa batters the island

A baby had 30 broken bones. Parents blamed a car crash, police say.

Deputies kill man who chased them with knife, then find his mom dead, police say

Featured

Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Despite a $14.6 billion surplus, state leaders say they can’t bail out SNAP

The federal government says the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run out of money Nov. 1. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp says there is nothing the state can do.

Husband of child services director fled DUI crash with kids in truck, GSP says

Authorities say the husband of Georgia's child protective services director had a blood alcohol level 4 times the legal limit when he left a crash with two kids in his truck.

Kirby Smart: LSU coaches ‘borrow’ offices, adds context to Brian Kelly firing

Georgia coach Kirby Smart understands the pressure at LSU, and how that combined with playoff expectations led to Brian Kelly being fired despite a .708 win percentage.