Special Week Honors Rockdale County Board of Education

Conyers, Ga. –  Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is joining in a statewide celebration this week to salute the efforts of local school board members. The week of March 9-13, 2026, has been proclaimed School Board Appreciation Week in Georgia. The weeklong observance calls attention to the contributions of local boards of education.

“During this week of appreciation, we take a moment to recognize and thank our Board members for their dedicated service,” said Superintendent Shirley Chesser. “This Board has consistently earned Exemplary status—achieving the honor nine times—and continues to model strong, effective governance with a focus on continuous improvement. Our Board members are regularly engaged in school and district events throughout the year in addition to the many hours they commit to their governance duties as Board members. We appreciate their service and their unwavering commitment to our students, staff, and families."

Board members are elected to be the community’s voice on education and represent a continuous commitment to local citizen control and decision-making in education.

The men and women serving our school district and their years of service are:

Sandra Jackson-Lett (Chair)                  7 years (January 2019)
Janie Jones (Vice Chair)                        3 years (January 2023)
Tonya J. Bloodworth                                  (March 2026)
Pamela J. Brown                                   9 years (January 2017)
Larry Cox                                              1 year (January 2025)
Heather Duncan                                    9 years (January 2017)
Akita Parmer                                         5 years (January 2021)

As constitutional officers of Georgia, school board members are responsible for setting educational policies, employing school personnel, providing buildings and equipment, operating a transportation system and disbursing school funds. As community leaders, school board members serve as advocates for the children in local public schools and must study, evaluate, and decide what actions are in the best interest of those students.

The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) sponsors the celebration. The mission of GSBA is to ensure excellence in the governance of local school systems by providing leadership, advocacy, and services, and by representing the collective resolve of Georgia’s 180 elected boards of education. Please visit www.gsba.com for more information.