After an extended executive session, the Oconee County School Board has named Jason Branch, principal of South Forsyth High School, as its sole final candidate to replace retiring Superintendent John Jackson.

“We are very excited to introduce Dr. Branch,” said David Weeks, chairman of the board, said in a news release issued Monday. “The board was gratified to receive a significant response to the posting of the position, and there were some strong candidates. We believe we have found the right man at the right time for Oconee County Schools.”

According to the release, Branch has worked in four Georgia school systems as a teacher, coach, and administrator. (See a PDF of his resume under his photo.) He sits on the Consortium for School Networking National Mobile Learning Board, is a member of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Data Utilization Project, and is conducting research and review work with the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education.

Branch holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English education from the University of Georgia. He received specialist and doctoral degrees in educational leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi.

“I am honored to have the potential opportunity to live, work, and raise my family in a community like Oconee County,” Branch said in the release. “Oconee County has a well-deserved reputation as one of the top school systems in Georgia and I look forward to getting to know our students, teachers, and community members in the days ahead.”

The school board is required by law to wait at least 14 days before approving the hire.