The promotion of a high school principal to regional superintendent is causing a series of management transitions in the DeKalb County School District.
Superintendent Michael Thurmond is promoting Towers High School Principal Ralph Simpson to interim superintendent over Region 5 in south DeKalb. That job is currently held by Rachel Zeigler, who will become superintendent of Region 3 in south central DeKalb, a position held by Trenton Arnold. Arnold will shift over to the Region 2 position in north DeKalb left open by the departure of Angela Pringle, who became superintendent in Richmond County in September.
Simpson’s career took a downturn in 2010 when he was demoted from assistant superintendent to assistant principal over a book purchase scandal. The district investigated, and confirmed, a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that said Simpson had sold copies of his autobiography to several district schools for more than $15,000. The investigation revealed other book deals, leading to the removal of other school officials.
District spokesman Quinn Hudson said Simpson turned his career around, rising to become principal at Towers High. Simpson improved test scores there, Quinn said, adding that when the graduation rate for last year is tallied for the school, the district expects about a 16 percentage point increase.
