Henry County Board of Education Announces Dr. John Pace III as Sole Finalist for Superintendent
HENRY COUNTY, GA – The Henry County Board of Education at a special called meeting on July 22 announced Dr. John Pace III as the sole finalist to serve as the district’s next Superintendent.
The five-member board voted unanimously for Dr. Pace, who currently serves as Deputy Superintendent for Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Florida, as the finalist to lead Georgia’s eighth-largest school district.
Following a 14-day waiting period required by Georgia law, the board will vote to confirm the appointment and set the new Superintendent’s start date and contract.
“I am so grateful to be part of a community who has shared this process with us. We gave serious consideration to the input from our community, and we are so thankful for that input,” said Board Chair Sophe Pope (Dist. 4). “Participants in our survey wanted a Superintendent with experience as a principal, teacher, and assistant superintendent. Dr. Pace checks all those boxes. They wanted a leader who promoted vision, culture, and instructional leadership, with a background in operations, resource, and personnel management. He has extensive experience in all those areas. Most importantly, they wanted a leader who is honest and ethical, and I believe Dr. Pace is that person.”
Dr. Pace holds a Doctor of Education degree in educational policy, planning, and leadership from The College of William and Mary, as well as a Master of Science degree in music education from Florida International University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music/business finance from the University of Miami.
As Deputy Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools since 2022, he has directly assisted Superintendent Dr. Jose Dotres by overseeing the Office of School Leadership and Performance and the daily operation of 350 traditional K-12 schools and technical colleges serving more than 240,000 students.
Dr. Pace previously served as Chief Operating Officer of School Operations (2021-2022), Region Superintendent of the Central Region Office (2017-2021), and Administrative Director of the Education Transformation Office in the Division of Academic Support (2015-2017).
His district-level administrator roles were preceded by more than a decade in school-level leadership, including as principal of Myrtle Grove K-8 Center (2011-2015), assistant principal of Norland Elementary School (2007-2011), and school administrator for the William H. Turner Technical Adult Center (2007-2011).
Prior to that, he spent seven years in the classroom as a music instructor, jazz band director, and co-concert and marching band director for Miami Norland Senior High School.
“Thank you to the Henry County Board of Education for this opportunity. I am humbled and honored to be considered and selected as a finalist for the Superintendent of Henry County Schools,” said Dr. Pace. “I look forward to working with the students, parents, employees, and community in the continued ‘Pursuit of Exceptional’ in HCS.”
Dr. Pace’s resume and application are available at this link.
About Henry County Schools
Henry County Schools (HCS) is the eighth-largest school district in Georgia, consisting of 52 schools, including two academies, located about 20 minutes south of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Over the past 20 years, our community has grown in population from 113,000 residents to over 244,000 residents. Since 1999, student enrollment has grown from 21,000 to 43,000 students, and our number of employees has grown from 3,000 to 6,000.
HCS is “In Pursuit of Exceptional,” taking action to advance opportunities, access, and outcomes so that every student in our school district has Exceptional Support, Exceptional Access, and an Exceptional Future. In 2020, our Board of Education adopted our 2021-2026 Community-Inspired Strategic Plan and laid out a clear vision and mission for Henry County Schools. Our vision is to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student, and our mission is to empower all students with exceptional opportunities and access that lead to success in a global society.
