New MHS principal meets with Rome school board amid superintendent search

Hunter Riggall, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·2 min read

Aug. 15—Eric Holland, who just four weeks ago began his tenure as principal of Marietta High School, was on site where the Rome City Schools Board of Education conducted job interviews for its next superintendent Saturday, the MDJ's sister paper, the Rome News-Tribune, has confirmed.

Holland, who spent five years as principal of Rome High School, was at the McCorkle Building of the Floyd Campus of Georgia Highlands College, just outside Rome, according to several people with knowledge of the interviews who spoke to the News-Tribune. The Rome Board of Education met Saturday morning at that location for an executive session to discuss personnel for the superintendent search.

Holland has been a candidate for the Rome superintendent position since February, according to the News-Tribune, and has the support of several prominent members of Rome's Black community. Rome's former superintendent, Louis Byars, retired at the end of May. In April, the Rome school board appointed Dawn Williams, previously the district's associate superintendent, as the interim superintendent.

The Rome Board of Education has scheduled a called meeting for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Holland did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

Marietta Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera referred questions to Holland.

Marietta school board member Angela Orange said she did not know whether Holland had been interviewed for the Rome job, but hopes he stays at Marietta High.

"He's had a strong debut. But what I can also say is it's a very competitive hiring environment out here. And I don't know if he interviewed or not, but I think he can have deep and lasting impact in this community as principal of the high school," Orange said.

The Marietta Board of Education voted unanimously to hire Holland as MHS principal on July 13. Holland started the following Monday, July 18, just two weeks before students returned from summer break.

Holland replaced Keith Ball, who in June was transferred by the board to a central office position after four years at the helm of MHS.

Rivera had requested the board approve Ball's transfer to the central office. The board voted 4-3 to do so. Just three months prior, board members had voted 5-2 to approve a one-year contract extension for Ball at the high school.

Ball had presided over three years of graduation rate increases, but the MDJ later reported that the high school was challenged by high staff turnover and low teacher morale. Ball also reportedly struggled to address student fighting and discipline.

Holland has 23 years of education experience. He started his career as a teacher in Americus. He later served as an administrator at Turner County High in Ashburn, then at Tift County High School in Tifton, before heading to Rome.