‘Students need to feel they belong,’ says Gwinnett’s next superintendent
Alexandra Estrella has pledged to listen and learn.
Such community engagement and collaboration is what will make Gwinnett County Public Schools successful, said its incoming superintendent Saturday.
“I’m looking forward to engaging in an array of conversations with members of the community so that I can learn, better understand the needs and wants of the community that will set the path forward for others to strategically move the needle for the future,” said Estrella, during her first news conference since her selection late last month.
Speaking from the district’s headquarters and flanked by the school board members who voted unanimously to hire her, she outlined her plans to involve parents, educators and students in strategic planning to enhance student success and improve school quality.
Estrella’s two-year contract will start July 1. Her base salary will be $400,000, a slight increase from her predecessor, Calvin Watts, whose base salary was $380,972.
Estrella is currently the superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools in Connecticut, which enrolls about 12,000 students in 21 schools. She’s been in that role since July 2020.
She’s now poised to take the reins of Georgia’s largest school system, which enrolled 179,000 students this academic year in 142 schools.
Estrella, who’s bilingual in English and Spanish, calls her new position “important work.”
“I don’t see it as a challenge, but an opportunity to take the time to understand what the priorities are and utilize that information to develop a plan forward that is focused on what our students need and communities want to see,” she said.
Estrella, a first-generation Latin American, is leading a school system that has a majority of Hispanic students, which is also Gwinnett’s largest demographic. She hopes her presence empowers students from diverse backgrounds to excel academically.
“I am a proud child of parents from the Dominican Republic who came to this country to ensure that their children had a better future,” Estrella said, “and I’m a byproduct of what education can do for kids.
“Students need to feel they belong, and building a sense of belonging is critical in making sure they feel safe, welcomed and loved. I’m hoping I can inspire them to see that education is the path forward to success.”
Estrella plans to start gathering information for Gwinnett’s strategic plan by formally introducing herself to residents at several town hall meetings this month.
“I’m hoping to see what they felt worked and have not worked. Carefully listening is key in making sure we can propel the district forward long term,” she said.
For working parents and guardians who can’t attend, Estrella said she’s integrating digital and social media into her outreach.
“There’s an array of different methodologies that we will use to engage in conversation. Our goal is to include them and, based on this era of multimedia access, there’s so many ways we can connect,” she said.
Before going to Norwalk Public Schools, Estrella held leadership roles in the New York City Department of Education, including superintendent of Community School District Four in East Harlem, according to a news release from the Gwinnett school board. She began her career as a science teacher, and later founded a dual language middle and high school in New York.
Community members are hopeful Estrella can bring some stability to Gwinnett, which has had several leaders in recent years. The board fired J. Alvin Wilbanks in 2021, cutting his contract short after he led the district for 25 years. Watts was his replacement, and served less than four years before the board also cut his contract short. Al Taylor, previously the district’s chief of schools, has been serving as interim superintendent since April 2025.
Tarece Johnson-Morgan, school board chair, supports Estrella’s vision and said she’s giving her time to implement her plans.
“Dr. Estrella stood out because of her strong leadership experience, focus on improving student outcomes and ability to lead large, complex school systems,” Johnson-Morgan said.
“We are excited about the road ahead as we move forward, working together as a governance team with this dynamic, brilliant, data-centered, student-focused leader. She’s absolutely the best candidate, and we are confident in her ability to lead our system forward.”
Metro Atlanta’s school superintendents
Here’s are the leaders of the largest school districts in metro Atlanta.
Atlanta Public Schools
Bryan Johnson was hired in July 2024 to lead the district. He started a month later. The Nashville native previously served as the executive vice chancellor and chief strategy officer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. His contract was extended last year through 2028.
Cherokee County
Mary Elizabeth Davis was hired in February 2024 to lead the school district after previously working as superintendent of Henry County’s school system. Her contract was recently extended through March 2029.
Clayton County
Douglas Hendrix Sr. was named interim superintendent in February. He replaces Anthony Smith, who is retiring from the job. He’s held a number of teaching and administrative roles, including senior deputy superintendent and chief of staff in Clayton.
Cobb County
Chris Ragsdale has led the state’s second-largest school district since 2014. Before becoming superintendent, Ragsdale was Cobb’s chief technology officer and oversaw its maintenance, construction, transportation and public safety programs.
DeKalb County
Norman Sauce III is the district’s interim superintendent. He replaced Devon Horton, who was indicted last year for several criminal charges related to his role as superintendent of the Evanston-Skokie School District 65 outside of Chicago. Sauce was previously chief of student services and worked as a teacher and principal in DeKalb. His contract lasts through November.
Fulton County
Mike Looney has been superintendent since 2019. He previously worked as superintendent of a school district near Nashville and Greenville, Alabama. His contract runs through November 2028.
About the Authors
Christopher A. Daniel is a Black Culture reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is an Atlanta-based, award-winning journalist, cultural critic and ethnomusicologist. He previously taught courses at Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University.
Cassidy Alexander covers Georgia education issues for the AJC. She previously covered education for The Daytona Beach News-Journal, and was named Florida's Outstanding New Journalist of the Year.
