Gilmer County Schools Begins Search for Next Superintendent

Gilmer County Schools confirmed on August 27 that the search for its next superintendent is officially underway, with the process starting at the Board of Education's August 13 meeting. The decision affects every family in the district, which enrolls 4,017 students across six schools in and around Ellijay.

Current Superintendent Dr. Brian Ridley remains listed on district materials and continues in his role as the search moves forward. The district has not released a timeline for naming finalists or hiring a replacement, and the board has not said whether Ridley plans to stay through the transition or what prompted the search to begin now.

The stakes are real for local parents. Whoever leads Gilmer County Schools next will oversee a district serving Mountain View Elementary, Ellijay Elementary, Clear Creek Elementary and Middle Schools, Gilmer High School, and the county's Pre-K program. The district reports a 96.6% graduation rate, a number any new hire will be expected to protect or improve.

Who has led the district

Ridley took over as superintendent in 2021, after the board named him the single finalist that June following a search that drew 29 applicants. He came to Gilmer County from Haralson County, where he had served as associate superintendent overseeing curriculum, student services and testing. Under Georgia law, boards must wait 14 days after naming a finalist before finalizing a hire, a step that shaped Ridley's own path into the role five years ago.

Ridley has kept a visible public profile in Gilmer County. He was recognized in 2024 with the Georgia School Superintendents Association's President's Award, and has spoken publicly this summer about district projects underway, including a new performing arts center at Gilmer High School and planned changes at Ellijay Elementary School.

What comes next

The Board of Education has not published a search timeline, a list of criteria for candidates, or details on whether the district will use an outside search firm, an approach many Georgia districts rely on for superintendent hires. Boards typically post updates as they narrow a field of applicants toward a single finalist, followed by the same 14-day public notice window used in 2021.

Parents and staff with questions can watch for updates through the district's Board of Education page, where meeting agendas and minutes are typically posted ahead of each session.

This story will be updated as the district releases more information about the search timeline and any finalists.

Stay connected with more updates from the Ellijay Georgia Community Website, and share your thoughts on the search in our Community Forum. For more coverage of local schools and district decisions, visit our education section, or catch up on other local news from around Gilmer County.

Header photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)