The Cherokee County Board of Education selected Angel Owens as the school system’s new superintendent, replacing Dr. Keevin Woody, whose contract was not renewed.
Owens' start date is July 1, with Woody stepping down the day before. The job has a base pay of $130,000 plus fringe benefits.
The school board approved Owens' appointment and contract at a special called meeting on May 21.
Woody has served as superintendent since Nov. 1, 2022.
"I know this decision was not made lightly and I am humbled and honored to be named the new Superintendent of Cherokee County Schools," she said. "The Board of Education implemented a rigorous application and interview process and I thank them for their thorough examination of all the qualifications, credentials, and leadership philosophy of the applicants. I want to recognize the strong leadership and dedication currently present within Cherokee County Schools. I know the administrators, teachers, and staff across this district have worked extremely hard to support students and move the district forward."
Owens is in her 29th year as an educator, having served in various capacities as a teacher and, most recently, as a district-level administrator since 2014. Owens has been chief officer for human resources and federal programs for Clay County Schools since January 2022. She also serves other administrative roles including director of Exceptional Children Programs.
In her current role, Owens supervises the human resources department, manages all hiring and recruiting for qualified school employees, oversees the licensure and evaluation process for certified staff, manages training and development for school staff and oversees and conducts compliance reviews for the exceptional children department and federal programs.
“We are excited to welcome Ms. Owens as the next Superintendent of Cherokee County Schools,” said Steve Coleman, chairman of the board of education. “Ms. Owens has an impressive breadth of experience as an educator, having held a wide range of positions. She impressed the board with her focus on student success as well as her overall vision to lead Cherokee County Schools into the future. Ms. Owens is the right person to lead Cherokee County Schools forward, and we can't wait for the great things in store for our District and its students.”
Owens earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University. She also holds a master’s degree from Piedmont College and an educational specialist degree in educational administration and supervision from Lincoln Memorial University.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the new superintendent of Cherokee County Schools,” she said. “It is a privilege to serve in the same district where I grew up, attended Peachtree Elementary School, graduated from Murphy High School, and completed one degree at Tri-County Community College. I look forward to partnering with staff, families, and community members to build on the District’s strong sense of community pride and culture while continuing our shared commitment to preparing students to become strong future community members and leaders.”