FULTON COUNTY — After searching for a new school superintendent since former schools chief Jeff Rose resigned in October, The Fulton County School System has named Rose’s replacement.
Mike Looney, current superintendent of the Williamson County school district in Tennessee will take the helm of Fulton County Schools starting June 17.
Looney has been a superintendent for almost 14 years in total and has over 25 years of experience in education. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Looney started his educational career as a substitute teacher. He has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal and assistant superintendent.
He earned a Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Alabama and holds two Masters degrees in Education Leadership Endorsement and Education from Jacksonville State University. In 2015 Looney was named Tennessee Superintendent of the Year by his peers.
“Dr. Looney’s experience and approach are the right fit for our schools at the right time,” said school board president Linda Bryant. “We have great confidence and optimism in his abilities. He has shown the willingness to be transparent, listen to the community, comes with a track record of results in student achievement, and is thoughtful in his approach toward teaching and learning, the most important role of the Superintendent.”
The school Board voted to approve a three-year contract with Looney.
“As I was going through the interview process, I heard from the Board how incredibly talented Fulton County students are and about the dedicated teachers, principals and staff. When I visited, I saw this firsthand and became even more excited about serving this community,” said Looney. “I plan to spend the first 90 days getting to know the people and digging deeper into Strategic Plan 2022. There is a great deal of outstanding effort going on and a vision already in place. My first job will be to evaluate what is working well and what challenges Fulton Schools have to tackle in order to improve for the future.”
