Conley
Murphy – Cherokee County Schools Superintendent Jeana Conley announced Thursday she plans to retire Dec. 31.
Conley has spent more than seven years in the role after being named interim superintendent in December 2014. She was later hired to permanently fill the position.
The 2022-23 school year will mark the beginning of her 33rd year in education, all of which has been spent in Cherokee County. Conley said she prolonged her career beyond what she originally intended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to thank this board for giving me the opportunity to lead, and the previous boards before us,” Conley said.
“I had intended to retire earlier, but I think like a lot of my colleagues, with COVID, some of us were just leery to leave in the middle of a crisis. I’ve got several superintendent colleagues who’ve done the same thing and are actually leaving in June or like me a little later in the year.”
The board voted to direct its attorney, Dean Shatley, and his law firm of Campbell-Shatley PLC to begin the search for a new superintendent. Shatley said the firm will set up the logistics for interviewing candidates and conducting background checks, along with other
duties.
He said the goal is to have a candidate in place by November to allow transition time before Conley steps down.
“We will advertise with school board associations and school administrator associations, inside those kinds of channels,” Shatley said. “Once we have all the applications and materials in, then the board will peruse all those, review them and then choose who they want to interview.”
Conley called her career in Cherokee County “the blessing of my life.” She began at Marble Elementary School and went on to hold a variety of roles such as librarian, principal and chief technology officer before becoming superintendent.
“I hate to keep referring to the pandemic, but we’ve lost a lot of people, and it really just makes you appreciate your health and your life,” she said. “I lost both of my parents over the last couple years, and I feel like we’ve done a lot of good work and I’m ready for a second chapter. I know Cherokee County Schools will be left in excellent hands regardless of who they choose.”