Bibb BOE Appoints Dr. Dan A. Sims Next Superintendent
Wednesday, May 11th, 2022
On May 10, 2022, the Bibb County Board of Education voted to appoint Dr. Dan A. Sims the next Superintendent of the Bibb County School District. Dr. Sims’ contract as Superintendent will begin July 1, 2022, following the retirement of current Superintendent Dr. Curtis L. Jones, Jr.
“I am incredibly grateful to the Board of Education for this opportunity to serve Bibb County as its next Superintendent. My whole being is overwhelmed by the possibilities that await us on our journey together, and I stand ready to lead with heart, excellence, and a laser focus on our students as our Number 1 priority,” Dr. Sims said. “I believe I was led to this District, and I look forward to the great things we will accomplish together as a community.”
Board members voted April 21, 2022, to name Dr. Sims the sole finalist for the position of Superintendent. In compliance with Georgia law, the Board of Education was required to wait a minimum of 14 days between announcing a finalist for the position of Superintendent and voting on the official appointment.
“I want to thank Board members for their diligence to the search process and the community for its feedback and support. Selecting the next Superintendent to lead our District, one who will follow Dr. Curtis Jones – a National Superintendent of the Year, is not a process that was taken lightly by our Board,” said Board President Dr. Thelma D. Dillard. “The Board wishes to congratulate Dr. Dan A. Sims on his selection. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Sims on a seamless transition and an exciting school year ahead.”
Dr. Dillard also announced a Meet and Greet session and reception to provide the community an opportunity to meet Dr. Sims on Tuesday, June 21. More information about the Meet and Greet will be announced by the District at a later date.
Dr. Sims is a proud native of Georgia with a lifelong commitment to public education. He brings 27 years of faithful experience to the success of students and has demonstrated passion for community service throughout his professional career.
He is a three-time graduate of Georgia State University and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics, a Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership, and a Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership. In 2020, he graduated from the Urban Superintendent’s Academy through the University of Southern California. His primary training and development outside of his formal education include Results Coaching certification and summer learning experiences with the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Relay Graduate School of Education.
He has served as an Associate Superintendent of Schools in the Atlanta Public School (APS) System for the past six years, where he directly leads and supports principals and other leaders as they push for excellence in student achievement. His key experiences in this position include assisting in the creation and implementation of the District’s strategic plan, active participation in establishing and monitoring District-level budget priorities, coordinating strategies for aligning departments and resources to support schools, and overseeing the operations of District athletics, ROTC, and adult education.
Under his leadership, the District’s graduation rate increased by 12.1 percent in five years, while achieving an all- time high 83.1 percent graduation rate. This was due in large part to his tenacious commitment to collaboration, data-driven strategic thinking, and capacity building of all leaders. Dr. Sims also played a key role in utilizing all of his responsibilities to restore community trust and foster a positive culture within the District and its surrounding communities. He has built a reputation of high expectations, high regard for people and high energy and know-how to execute the business at hand. Read more about Dr. Sims at www.bcsdk12.net.
The Board’s decision to name Dr. Sims the sole finalist for Superintendent came after a nationwide search conducted bythe Georgia Schools Boards Association (GSBA) that yielded more than 30 applicants for consideration. The Board of Education voted on October 21, 2021, to enter into a contract with GSBA to conduct the Superintendent search following a presentation by GSBA on September 30, 2021. The application window opened in December 2021 and closed in January 2022. Overall, 33 applications were received – 16 applications from candidates in Georgia and 17 applications from candidates outside of Georgia.
Dr. Curtis Jones Jr., named National Superintendent of the Year in 2019 by AASA, joined the Bibb County School District as Superintendent in April 2015 and is set to retire June 30, 2022. The Board and Superintendent are committed to ensuring a seamless and effective transition for the start of the next school year
As part of the search process, GSBA conducted a community survey in which more than 800 individuals provided input regarding the strengths and qualifications they hoped to see in the Bibb County School District’s next Superintendent. Of those 812 respondents, 46.8% were a BCSD employee, 44.95% were parents/guardians of a BCSD student, 30.54% were community members residing within the district, 7.76% identified themselves as members of the business community, 5.05% were students, 4.43% did not indicate a group, and 7.02% specified another group. (This totals more than 100% as respondents could choose more than one category. For example, an employee who is a parent may have selected both as their stakeholder status.)
Bibb’s School Board members reviewed the feedback from the survey, the applications received, and GSBA’s analysis of the candidates in determining the field of candidates to be interviewed. The candidate interview process, which included two rounds of interviews — conducted March 14 and 25, and April 7 — yielded a sole finalist who brings an accomplished background with a wide range of experiences and many years of service to public school systems.
