The Dekalb County School District selects R. Stephen Green to be its next superintendent.

Green, who has been superintendent of the Kansas City Public Schools, will take over in Dekalb County on July 1.

He is credited with leading the Kansas City schools back to provisional accreditation two years after being named superintendent in 2012.  Green was named Missouri's 2015 Superintendent of the Year by his peers with the Missouri Association of School Administrators.

Dr. Green says it was a difficult decision.

"I have had a unique and wonderful opportunity to make a difference for a deserving community and work with a great team at KCPS,” Dr. Green said. “I wish them all the best as they rise to success. I know they have the talent, focus and grit to make it happen."

Two of Dr. Green's children live in the metro Atlanta area, along with three of his four grandchildren.  One of those grandchildren is 3 years old and will be attending a Dekalb County school.

"I am looking forward to helping lead DeKalb schools to new elevations and to being able to spend a lot of quality time with my children and grandchildren,” Dr. Green said. “These opportunities don’t come around very often and I simply could not pass it up."

Green will replace interim superintendent Michael Thurmond, who took the job in February 2013.

"After a comprehensive nearly six-month search, the board has selected an experienced, well-suited educational leader to move the district forward under his successful innovative approaches to teaching and learning,” says Board Chair Melvin Johnson. “Dr. Green brings an impressive record to DeKalb not only from Kansas City, but also from New York, New Jersey and Indiana. He was a stabilizing force in Kansas City and will do the same here in DeKalb County."

"Dr. Green is excited to come here," Dr. Johnson says.  "He has children and grandchildren here so for his family it is sort of a home coming."