GAINESVILLE -- At Monday night's school board work session, Gainesville City School Superintendent Wanda Creel introduced the school system's new Director of Athletics and Student Activities.
Billy Kirk is currently the Dean of Students and Athletic Director at Centennial High School in Roswell, a 6-A school in the Fulton County system.
In brief remarks to the school board and other school officials at the work session, Kirk acknowledged that people have expressed concerns about the city having a system-wide athletics director, but he said he's confident it's the right move for Gainesville and he's the right man for the job.
"I do that stuff [management of athletics] every day and I'm thankful to be able to do that stuff for the city of Gainesville," said Kirk. "Y'all do have an unbelievable tradition of excellence and I want to be here to support that and to help to build that to be a better brand for y'all, for your student athletes, for your community."
Creel told the board that Kirk has a bachelor's degree in education with an emphasis in special education, a master's degree in marketing and sports management and a specialist's degree in curriculum and instruction.
At the April meeting of the Gainesville School Board, Creel noted that the system had received 29 applications for the new position.
Also at that meeting, several citizens expressed concern about the new direction the board was taking with the creation of the new position; in addition, they were unhappy about the departure of part-time AD Wayne Vickery, who had held the post for 34 years. No citizens were in attendance at Monday's work session.
