For the third time in three years, DeKalb County will have a new person leading their school system.

After replacing Crawford Lewis, who was indicted on conspiracy and fraud charges, the DeKalb School District and superintendent Cheryl Atkinson are parting ways.

Spokeswoman Lillian Govus says Atkinson and school board members Thursday decided a mutual separation agreement was in the best interest for everyone involved.

Atkinson's resignation will be effective Feb. 8. She still had a year and a half left on her contract.

She is mired in a controversy over whether offered school employees their jobs back in return for an end to requests to turn over her emails and text messages.

The district was placed on probation through the end of 2013 by an accreditation agency after officials found evidence of fiscal mismanagement and unethical practices.

Atkinson has been on bereavement leave is January because of the death of her father.

School board members must vote on requires the district to pay her more than $114,500 over the next five months. The agreement also requires Atkinson to participate in any legal matters related to her tenure as superintendent.

The board will meet Friday and is expected to announce an interim superintendent in the afternoon.

It appeared that board members already started their search for a new superintendent Monday when they met with former Georgia Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond in a closed-door session.

Thurmond and said he’d been asked about his leadership philosophy and said the words “interim” and “superintendent” had come up.