Though she likely has another month left as Decatur superintendent, Phyllis Edwards conducted her last board meeting Tuesday night, 12 years and three months after her first one. Lengthy tributes were spoken by board members Bernadette Seals and Julie Rhame, the latter the only board member to serve during Edwards’ entire tenure.
“Leaving here is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done,” Edwards told an unusually large board-meeting crowd.
Her successor, David Dude is schedule to start Nov. 2 (the next board meeting is Nov. 10), one day before city voters decide whether to approve a $75 million bond. But that’s dependent on Dude signing his contract, which may happen Oct. 19 when the board has a special session scheduled.
If Dude starts on time Edwards’ last day is probably Nov. 13 since she’s required by her contract to remain for a two-week transition period after his arrival. Edwards has already announced she’ll take a job with the Georgia School Board Association, but she said Tuesday she wouldn’t start that job until January at the earliest.
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