Dr. Robbie Hooker, sole finalist for the Clarke County School District Superintendent, (left) meets CCSD parent Welch Suggs on Aug. 28 in the Vernon Payne Meeting Hall at the CCSD administrative offices building. A meet-and-greet was held to welcome Hooker back to the district and allow him the opportunity to share his plan for the district. “Dr. Hooker highlighted some critical areas of need. I think we have made progress (but) there is additional work to be done,” CCSD Board of Education President and District 7 representative Dr. Lakeisha Gantt said. “I know that was just a snapshot of how he plans on doing those things, and I think we’ll see a lot of that within the next three or so months.” Photo by Aza Khan
Dr. Robbie Hooker, sole finalist for the Clarke County School District Superintendent, participated in a meet-and-greet on Aug. 28.
The Clarke County School District welcomed back former Clarke Central High School principal and sole finalist for Superintendent of the CCSD Dr. Robbie P. Hooker in a community meet-and-greet held at the CCSD administrative offices building on Aug. 28.
Hooker taught at W. R. Coile Middle School before moving to serve as assistant principal at Westside Middle School in Barrow County. He returned to the CCSD as principal of Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School in 2003 until 2008. Hooker served as the award-winning principal of CCHS from 2008 to 2016. Hooker was named Assistant Superintendent of High Schools in Henry County in 2016 and then Superintendent of Social Circle City Schools from 2019 to 2022.
“(Returning to the CCSD) is more than coming home. I’m gonna be with family and when you work with family, you work a little bit differently. You work harder because you want to see not one person succeed, but all students succeed,” Hooker said. “I’m here today because I want to share with you my vision for this district, and you must understand that I can’t do this work alone.”
“(Returning to the CCSD) is more than coming home. I’m gonna be with family and when you work with family, you work a little bit differently. You work harder because you want to see not one person succeed, but all students succeed.I’m here today because I want to share with you my vision for this district, and you must understand that I can’t do this work alone.”
— Dr. Robbie P. Hooker,
sole finalist for the Clarke County School District Superintendent
CCSD Board of Education District 9 representative Dr. Tawana Mattox is excited about the fresh start.
“Dr. (Xernona) Thomas has done a great job. I have high respect for her, but now, we’re ready to take it to the next step,” Mattox said. “It’s time for us to move forward and to move together. This is the opportunity that we can bridge some gaps and come together as one Clarke County.”
For Hooker’s daughter, Kaitlyn, a CCHS Class of 2016 graduate and educator in Americus, Ga., her father’s personality will be an ideal fit for the position.
“(My dad) likes to relate to people or get to know them. He’ll ask teachers, ‘Oh, how are your kids?’ or ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘What are you doing this weekend?’” Kaitlyn said. “He likes to build relationships with them.”
Dr. Robbie Hooker, sole finalist for the Clarke County School District Superintendent, speaks at a community meet-and-greet. Board of Education Representative for District Seven and Board President Dr. Lakeisha Gantt listened to the speech, and is looking forward to what policies Hooker will implement as he moves into his position. “Dr. Hooker highlighted some critical areas of need. I think we have made progress,” Gantt said. “And there is additional work to be done. And so I think he highlighted critical areas. I know that was just a snapshot of how he plans on doing those things. And I think we’ll see a lot of that within the next three or so months.” Recorded by Cadence Schapker, photos by Aza Khan, edited by Lucas Donnelly
During his speech, Hooker addressed disparities within the district, which resonated with David C. Barrow Elementary School parent Elizabeth Hagan.
“I would love for (Hooker) to bring more equity to the schools,” Hagan said. “(So) that there’s not schools that are left behind that don’t have the same level of support and resources that other schools have.”
In addition to addressing parity among the schools, another of Hooker’s goals is to unite the CCSD community and involve them in improving the school system.
“(A great school district) involves the entire community. It’s not one person. It’s not two people. It’s the entire community that takes hold of this vision and moves forward,” Hooker said. “My question to you as a community: If we look at our current status of our school system, what is your role in going from our current status to being good to being better to being the best?”
