The Walton County Board of Education and Superintendent Nathan Franklin have been named a finalist for the Georgia School Boards Association's (GSBA) Governance Team of the Year Award. This prestigious award honors Georgia public boards of education and superintendents who have achieved all-around success in governance and continue to be deeply rooted in the Standards for Effective Governance of Georgia School Systems.
"It's an honor to be recognized as a finalist for this prestigious award, but our focus remains on preparation and building great outcomes for our students as we support this community,” said Board Chairman Coleman Landers. “We have a wonderful Board that considers it a privilege to serve and a Superintendent who is unsurpassed in leadership, knowledge and heart. That said, however, we'd love to win!"
This award honors public school district boards of education and superintendents who have achieved all-around success in their district. The three award categories are small (1-3,000 students), medium (3,001-10,000 students) and large (10,000+ students). WCSD is honored as a finalist for large-size systems along with Bryan County and Henry County Schools.
The new Governance Team of the Year process is completely focused on how a governance team functions in a leadership role rather than being focused on the actions of staff members. The size or resources of a district has no bearing on the ability of the governance team to conduct itself in a manner that aligns with best practices and that benefits student achievement. All finalists will be vetted through an application process and interviewed by an impartial review team that consists of national experts who perform various leadership roles in the field of public education.
“The Governance Team of the Year Award is the highest honor GSBA gives to a governance team. These finalists have demonstrated quality governance that has positively impacted their students, staff and community. They set a standard of excellence and represent collaborative leadership principals,” said Shakila Henderson Baker, GSBA President and Chair of the Newton County Board of Education.
All Governance Team of the Year finalists will be recognized at the GSBA/GSSA Annual Conference in December where the winner in each category will be announced.