Stephens Co. Schools Hire New Transportation Director

A long-time Stephens County school system employee is calling it a career.

School System Transportation Director Beth McDonald has announced her retirement effective October 31, according to Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey.

He said that she has done a tremendous job over the years heading up the Transportation Department for the Stephens County school system.

“We are certainly going to miss Beth,” said Dorsey. “She has devoted an enormous amount of time and energy to our school system and I think she has done a fabulous job.”

McDonald has worked for the Stephens County school system in some capacity since 1981, a period of 35 years, having begun Transportation Director duties in 1990 part-time and taking the job on full-time in 1991.

On Tuesday, the Board of Education unanimously approved McDonald’s replacement as Transportation Director.

It is Dale Meeks.

Dorsey said that Meeks has been a part of the Stephens County school system’s transportation department for more than 20 years.

“He has been a shop foreman with us, knows our community, was born and raised in Toccoa and Stephens County, so he certainly knows where we are, who we are,” said Meeks. “We certainly expect the bus department to continue to be great, but we also know with change, we are expecting some new things with his leadership and continued growth on what Ms. McDonald and the current transportation department is doing. We are excited for our drivers to take on this new phase and our students and look forward to continuous improvement just like we do with our schools.”

According to Dorsey, the school system will now go about the business of filling Meeks’ position and once that is in place, the transition from McDonald to Meeks will start taking place.