Dalton Public Schools was recently named a finalist by the Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) for the 2021 Governance Team of the Year Award. The award honors 3 Georgia public school district's board of education and superintendent who have achieved all-around success in their district.

The 3 categories are: small, 1-3,000 students, medium, 3,001-10,000 students and large, 10,000+ students. Dalton Public Schools is one of four finalists in the medium category. This recognition is based on the components of Georgia's Vision for Public Education research-based recommendations for Georgia's public schools.

In order to receive this recognition, the district completed a rigorous application process and completed an interview with an impartial review team confirming the information listed in the application.

"This award has set the bar for what high functioning school boards and superintendents should look like. Each year these governance teams showcase best practices and set an example for others to strive towards. We appreciate the hard work each of these finalists have showcased." said Bryan Preston, GSBA President and Vice Chair of the Coffee County Board of Education.

Dalton Board of Education Board Chair Matt Evans said it was an honor to be named a finalist by the GSBA.

"Our team is incredibly honored by this state-wide recognition," Evans said. "However, it is much bigger than the six of us on our governance team. This recognition is really a reflection of the Dalton community's historic and ongoing support for our district. Even more, our nomination as a finalist reflects the commitment, passion, and dedication of our staff to bring their best every single day in order to give every child in our school system a quality education."

Superintendent Tim Scott also said this award was an indication of the hard work being done every day by district staff.

"I am proud of our district's governance team for receiving this recognition," Dr. Scott said. "None of this would be possible without the hard work of our district's staff, teachers and my executive cabinet."

The winner will be announced during a banquet at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel in Atlanta, Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. to honor these outstanding governance teams. There were 55 Georgia school districts that qualified and 10 that chose to submit applications.

The winner will be chosen by a panel of national experts who perform various leadership roles in the field of public education.

"We are proud of what this award has come to represent, and it is an honor to recognize these finalists for all they have accomplished." said Valarie Wilson, GSBA Executive Director. "While only one wins in each category, all have demonstrated success as high functioning governance teams."