The Polk County Board of Education has made their choice after interviews of the final two candidates in a special session on Monday during their Board work session this evening. The next Superintendent of the Polk School District will be Dr. Katie Thomas.

Thomas, currently serving as Assistant Superintendent and the CEO of the Polk County College and Career Academy, will take over in her promotion on June 1 following the official retirement of Superintendent Laurie Atkins.

She said by message she was excited by tonight’s announcement.

“I am honored and humbled to be selected to serve as the next Superintendent of Polk School District. I have been fortunate to be trained by Mrs. Laurie Atkins who has been instrumental in driving change over the last several years; and, I look forward to continuing in that same direction,” she said. “This is more than just a job to me, it’s personal–and I am committed to supporting the staff, students and Polk County community by providing a one-of-a-kind, 21st century educational experience. I am grateful to the Polk School District Board of Education for their vote of confidence and continued support.”

The board made the announcement following an executive session to discuss the personnel matter ahead of the close of the first session of 2021.

A native of Floyd County, Thomas comes into the role with decades of experience as an educator at Cartersville High School before she joined the Polk School District.

She began her career in 2006 in the district first as the Director of Career, Technical and Agriculture Education for the Polk School District, which reformed into the College and Career Academy with a campus at each high school. 

She has also worked as an Adjunct Instructor for the School of Business at both Chattahoochee Technical College and Georgia Northwestern Technical College. She still serves with the latter. Thomas has also served on a number of committees, helped form the Graduate Polk Student Success Center, Project SUCCESS, and with the Polk County Chamber of Commerce, among many other accomplishments and responsibilities during her time in education.

Thomas holds degrees from Georgia Highlands College (formerly Floyd College,) the University of West Georgia, Jacksonville State University, and Liberty University, which is where she earned her Doctorate of Education in 2014.