Several high-ranking DeKalb County school administrators were demoted and reassigned in the first phase of an administrative reorganization under new Superintendent Steve Green.

One school board member said she felt the moves were hastily done.

The reorganization calls for several new positions, including a chief communications and community relations officer and a deputy superintendent for student support and intervention.

Tekshia Ward-Smith, the director of human resources for the DeKalb district, was reassigned to the athletics department.

Leo Brown, a new district employee, will become the interim human capital officer. Brown was previously the senior manager of operations for Emory Healthcare. But from May 2011 to June 2012, he was the executive director of human capital and chief human capital officer for the Kansas City Public Schools, most of that time under Green, who had been hired there as interim superintendent.

Vasanne Tinsley, assistant director of student support services, will become deputy superintendent for student support and intervention.

“Our district is already undergoing a cultural change — one I am confident will work and help us achieve our number one priority – improved instructional delivery and classroom results,” Green said.

He said the decisions came from six months of observation and research on what was best for the district.

Board of Education member Joyce Morley said the moves felt like demotions with no real rhyme or reason.

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