Oct. 13 may be her last school board meeting, but outgoing Decatur Superintendent Phyllis Edwards isn’t slowing down. Since late July, she has hired three new principals, promoted Decatur High Principal Noel Maloof to chief operating officer and longtime City Schools Decatur Principal Bruce Roaden to director of secondary education.

“This is more a collaborative way of working rather than the pyramid model,” said Edwards, who eliminated the associate superintendent position more than two years ago. “We have several people, not only [at CSD’s central office] but several of our principals, capable of being superintendents themselves. I feel I can consult with any number of strong people, not just one or two key aides.”

Edwards realizes her successor, who may be named as early as this Friday, could change the entire structure.

“We have a deep bench,” she said, “and my intention is having the new person walk into a smooth operational situation.”

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Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

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