Fayette County Schools on Monday named Jonathan Patterson, a longtime leader in Gwinnett County Schools, to be its next superintendent.
Patterson, who most recently had been Gwinnett School’s associate superintendent of curriculum and instructional support, will succeed Jody Barrow, who has been Fayette superintendent since 2012.
Barrow announced his retirement in February and had planned to vacate the position by June 30. However, he postponed his departure in May to help guide the school system through the impact of COVID-19.
“Fayette is a special place, as you know,” Patterson, who will become superintendent Oct. 1, told board members at their meeting Monday evening. “I want to thank you for the confidence you have shown me through this process. It’s confirmed what I already thought, and that is: This is an excellent community with an outstanding track record of getting great results for our students.”
The announcement of Patterson’s appointment comes as the school system, which kicked off the first day of classes Aug. 17, is offering in-person classes during a pandemic that has altered the educational landscape.
While most districts in metro Atlanta have opted to begin the new year with virtual-only instruction, Fayette is operating a hybrid model with in-person and online classrooms.
The district on Monday reported that six students have contracted the coronavirus and 32 have been quarantined because of possible exposure. One teacher has contracted the disease and nine members of the staff have been quarantined.
About 13,600 students are attending school in person and the district has a staff of close to 2,950 people.
Barrow said the district is not identifying the schools associated with the infections because the number of cases is low enough that it might be easy to pinpoint who is sick. “We want to avoid that and maintain their privacy,” he said.
Debbie King, the district’s coordinator for school health, said the infected caught the virus off campus at family gatherings, weddings and from relatives.
“None of the exposures that we have had or positive cases have been from inside the buildings,” she said.
Patterson will be paid $240,000 annually over a three-year contract with the school system, according to his contract. He also will receive $600 a month for car expenses and be reimbursed for travel and dining expenses related to his job.
In addition, the district will pay his membership dues to professional groups and local organizations, his mandatory contributions to the Teacher Retirement System of Georgia and $1,000 to an annuity plan of Patterson’s choice.
A graduate of West Georgia College for both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Patterson has been a biology teacher at South Forsyth High School in Forsyth County and Dacula High School in Gwinnett County. He later became an assistant principal at Buford Middle School and eventually principal at Crews Middle School in Gwinnett. He later took on leadership roles in Gwinnett’s Central Office and earned a doctorate in educational leadership at Mercer University.
Fayette County Board of Education Chairman Scott Hollowell praised the choice of Patterson.
“I am confident Dr. Patterson is the right leader at the right time for Fayette County Public Schools,” Hollowell said. “We are excited to introduce Dr. Patterson to our students, parents, teachers, staff and Fayette County community.”
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