In a surprise move, the principal of North Atlanta High School announced Friday he is resigning.
The Atlanta school system said in a statement Howard “Gene” Taylor will leave the job Dec. 1.
Taylor will become principal of Berkmar High School in Gwinnett County, the same school district where he was a principal before he was hired to take over at North Atlanta last October.
Atlanta Public Schools officials offered no explanation for his departure. Taylor didn’t return messages seeking comment.
“The district is appreciative of Dr. Taylor’s leadership over the past year, particularly during the planning, relocation and opening of the new North Atlanta High School,” the district said in a statement. “We wish him well in his next assignment.”
Taylor has been in charge during the opening of the new North Atlanta High School, which is 3 ½ miles from its original Buckhead location. With a price tag of $147 million, it costs more than any other public school in Georgia. Some criticized cost overruns associated with the school’s reconstruction.
A transition plan has been established to ensure continued high-quality instruction for students, and the search for a new principal will begin immediately, the school system’s statement said.
Taylor took over at the school shortly after interim Principal Mark MyGrant was removed and several of his top administrators transferred.
Taylor had been principal at Lilburn Middle School in Gwinnett when he was tapped for the Atlanta job.
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