O’Dell Honored At Reception

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Franklin County School Superintendent Dr. Ruth O’Dell is retiring at the end of the month and last Thursday, dozens of well-wishers turned out for a special farewell reception at the Carnesville Community Center.

During the ceremony, many of those she worked with brought gifts.

One of those gifts was a large framed picture of a fishbone presented by high school art teacher Kevin McClain and English Language Arts teacher Linda Frederick.

Dr. O’Dell said the picture depicts a method she used to identify problem areas.

“It’s a way to look at root cause analysis and you do a fishbone to look at your root causes,” O’Dell said. “So they did an artistic depiction of a root cause analysis and all my TAC members, my Teacher Advisor Council people, signed it, which is very meaningful.”

Dr. O’Dell has been the Franklin County School Superintendent since 2007

During that time in working with the Franklin County Board of Education, teachers and staff, Dr. O’Dell says one of her greatest accomplishments was raising the high school graduation rate from 55 percent in 2007 to 96 percent in 2015.

Dr. O’Dell said she is confident the work that was started will continue after she has retired.

“I think the sky’s the limit as far as the future of the system,” she said. “I said that in my speech to Chamber. We don’t need to be complacent. So keep on keepin’ on.”

Dr. O’Dell is succeeded as superintendent by current Assistant Franklin County School Superintendent Wayne Randall.

Randall takes over the job June 1.