The Clarke County Board of Education named former University of Georgia professor and administrator Jack Parish as interim superintendent today to replace Philip Lanoue while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

Parish recently retired as associate dean for outreach and education at the UGA College of Education. He served as superintendent of the Henry County school system from 2000–2008—where he was president of the Georgia School Superintendents Association and was a finalist for state superintendent of the year—and has experience as a teacher and principal as well. He assisted CCSD with several projects while at UGA.

The school board met in closed session for a half-hour this afternoon before unanimously voting to appoint Parish.

He will take over sometime in January, BOE Vice President Sarah Ellis said.

Lanoue announced in September that he will be stepping down Mar. 1 after eight years running CCSD.

Although Lanoue's last official day is Feb. 28, he may take some vacation time before then, Ellis said, but she expects Lanoue and Parish's tenures to overlap to smooth the transition.

The board considered internal candidates, Ellis said; they were willing but reluctant to serve as interim superintendent, and going outside the district kept another position from needing to be filled.

Earlier this month, the board hired a headhunting firm Hazzard, Young, Attea & Associates to search for a permanent superintendent, and Ellis said the goal is to have one in place by the end of the current school year in May. 

Parish is not a candidate for the permanent position, she said.