Longtime Dawson County school employee Keith Porter may become the interim superintendent for the Forsyth County School System.

Forsyth Superintendent Buster Evans is leaving to join the Department of Corrections as its commissioner of education.

Porter served as the superintendent of Dawson County schools for five years and worked for the system for 30 years.

He retired last month.

We havent signed the contract yet, but the Forsyth Board of Education has made their decision, Porter said on Monday.

Porter lives in Forsyth County, where he also serves on the board of deacons for Coal Mountain Baptist Church.

I prayed when I retired that the Lord would use me to help in any way, Porter said. I feel like this is a way to help a school system that needed someone.

Once the contract is signed, Porters duties would begin July 1.

For 30 years, Ive been preparing for the first day of school, and this is another opportunity to prepare and plan for that, he said. I look forward to the first day and to working with the Forsyth County schools leadership team so that we have a smooth, safe and productive first day of the school year.

Porter said he has no plans to seek the position permanently, but wanted to help while the board seeks to fill Evans role.

It would have been very difficult for me to turn down the opportunity to help during this transition period, he said. Ive

committed to the board to help in the transition between the tenures of Dr. Evans and the new superintendent and to make the transition as smooth as possible.

According to the Georgia School Board Association, the deadline to submit applications for the superintendents position

was May 2.