After a mandatory 14-day waiting period, the Newton County School System announced the appointment of Dr. Duke Bradley, III as its new superintendent of schools, following a unanimous vote of approval by the Board of Education at a special called meeting held on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023.

Upon his appointment, Bradley expressed his thoughts on his new role. 

“In a word, I am humbled,” Bradley said. “I think that the opportunity to serve this community is a high honor and I very much look forward to engaging with the community over the next several weeks and really throughout the duration of my administration.

“I really want to thank this board for their leadership. They have facilitated an appropriately rigorous process that not only am I glad that it’s over, I’m glad that I was the selection. I just hope that the community is prepared to work together to help to elevate this district. And I’m sure that together we will make that happen.”

With experience in education and a track record of driving positive change, Bradley comes to Newton County with an impressive background. 

Most recently, he served as the chief of staff of the Henry County School System since 2021, where he played a role as an advisor and driver of performance for key projects and strategic initiatives within the district, overseeing leadership, policy, legal compliance, communications, constituent services and special programs.

Prior to his role in Henry County, Bradley held the position of deputy superintendent and chief of schools for the Beaufort County School System in Beaufort, South Carolina, from 2020-2021. There, he achieved milestones, including a district-high graduation rate of 88.5 percent and surpassing state averages in all tested subject areas during the 2021 school year.

Before stepping into district leadership roles, Bradley spent a decade as a school principal in various locations, including as the turnaround principal of Banneker High School in Fulton County Schools, College Park, Georgia, and as the executive director of Wesley International Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. He was also the founding principal of Benjamin E. Mays Preparatory School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

From October 2019 to June 2020, Bradley held the position of vice president of school leadership and accountability for 3DE Schools by Junior Achievement in Atlanta. 

In this capacity, he led the strategy for programmatic innovation in 23 schools across 14 school districts and five states, fostering the launch of innovative school models in various districts, including Baltimore County Schools in Maryland, Los Angeles Unified School District in California, and Houston Independent School District in Texas.

Bradley’s contributions to education extend beyond his administrative roles, as he has served as an adjunct professor for the Citadel, Zucker Family Graduation School of Education and as a consultant for the University of Virginia, Partnership for Leaders in Education. 

His early career included teaching secondary English in the DeKalb County School District in Decatur, Georgia, and serving as a congressional intern in the Office of U.S. Congressman John Lewis, focusing on Education Policy Research.

Bradley’s educational journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1998, followed by a Master of Arts in Teaching from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1999. 

In 2003, he obtained his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the John Marshall Law School in Athens, Georgia, and later added a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, in 2015.

Apart from his professional accomplishments, Bradley is actively engaged in community service and leadership. He has served as a board member for the Shaquille O’Neal Boys and Girls Club in Henry County and as a Child Well-Being Steering Committee member for the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. 

Bradley is a member of the 100 Black Men of America, Atlanta, Georgia Chapter, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Eta Omega Chapter. Furthermore, he has lent his expertise as an advisory board member of the Wallace Foundation, Building Pipelines of Equity-Centered Leaders Project.

Throughout his distinguished career, Bradley has garnered numerous awards and honors, including District-Wide Principal of the Year for Fulton County Schools, recognition as a school Turnaround Leader by the Georgia State Department of Education, the Community Partner Champion Award conferred by United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, and the Making the Difference Community Service Award from Ebenezer Baptist Church.

“Dr. Bradley’s extensive experience and his commitment to the community are a testament to his ability to lead our district to new heights,” said Newton County Board of Education Chair, Shakila Henderson-Baker. “We are confident in his vision and leadership as we embark on this exciting journey together.”

Bradley’s official start date as Superintendent of the Newton County School System is set to occur on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. 

The Board of Education and the entire community eagerly anticipate the positive impact his leadership will bring to the district, a press release said.