Finalist named for Catoosa County Public Schools superintendent
The Catoosa County Public Schools Board of Education has named Chance Nix, principal at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School, as the sole finalist for new school superintendent.
The school board is expected to officially name Nix as school superintendent at 2 p.m. on Nov. 18. According to a statement posted on the Catoosa County schools website, the law requires that 14 days pass between a candidate being named finalist and the appointment becoming official.
Nix, who has worked for the Catoosa County public school system for the past 15 years, succeeded Terri Vandiver as principal at LakeviewFort Oglethorpe High School in 2017. Since then he has been recognized by the Technical College System of Georgia for his work. As a 2010 Georgia Northwestern Technical College graduate, he was recognized by the system’s foundation as Alumnus of the Year for 2018.
Before beginning his career in education, Nix was a deputy sheriff with the Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office and worked at the high school as a school resource officer. In 2008, he was hired to teach public safety at Heritage High School, and in 2014, he became assistant principal at West Side Elementary School, working alongside then-Principal Mike Rich. He returned to Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School as assistant principal in 2015.
Nix’s wife, Heather, is a teacher in the county school system, and both of his daughters, Hailey and Savannah, graduated from Catoosa County Public Schools.
The new superintendent will replace Superintendent Denia Reese, who has led the district for the past 16 years.
When Reese in September announced her plans to retire, school system spokesperson Marissa Brower said the district hoped to find a candidate from within its Aspiring Leader Academy to fill the vacancy, rather than seeking candidates from outside the system.
“The board wants to assure the public that it will be committed to finding a good match for a candidate who can work well to begin new opportunities for our students and staff and who is committed to advancing important initiatives started during Mrs. Reese’s tenure,” Brower said.
Nix graduated from Georgia Northwestern Technical College in 2010 with a degree in criminal justice. He continued his education at Lincoln Memorial University and Valdosta University, earning a master’s degree in education and an educational specialist degree.
Reese’s last day as superintendent will be April 1, 2022.