Marietta looks to principal's fate next week

Aug. 27—The Marietta community is days away from learning the fate of Marietta High School principal Eric Holland, who, on Wednesday, will be eligible to receive an offer for the superintendent's post at Rome City Schools.

Wednesday marks the end of the mandatory 14-day waiting period after Holland was named the sole finalist for the job last week, just over a month following his hiring in Marietta.

Rome City Schools' interim superintendent, meanwhile, has announced she will step down next week from the post Holland appears set to fill.

Dawn Williams, who has helmed the northwest Georgia district since April, will retire effective Aug. 31 — the same day the Rome school board can offer Holland the job.

Williams was among four candidates (including Holland) known to have been interviewed by the board for the position. Williams' and Holland's were the only names to become public.

Holland could not be reached for comment Friday, but Marietta Schools Superintendent Grant Rivera said Holland continues to serve as Marietta High School's principal until further notice.

The district has a succession plan should Holland be offered and accept the Rome position, Rivera added, but declined to comment on what shape that would take.

"My highest priority is a seamless transition for the students and staff at Marietta High School, and I have a plan in place to make any leadership transition seamless," Rivera added.

Reached by the Rome News-Tribune, Jill Fisher, chair of the Rome Board of Education, declined to comment, stating "until the board takes any official action on personnel, the board does not comment."