Following recent news that Kilough Elementary School Principal Lois Zangara will retire next month, the Dawson County School Board voted 4-0 on May 9 to promote administrator Tracey Compton to the position.

Compton has served as assistant principal at Kilough for the past seven years.

Said Superintendent Keith Porter: “Through the years, she has been one of the most decorated teachers we’ve ever had in the Dawson County School System.”

During the 2010-11 school year, she was selected as the state assistant principal of the year. She also was awarded the Philip Wright Award for her work with special education at Kilough.

Compton also taught at Dawson County Middle School for 11 years, during which time she garnered awards for Georgia Math Teacher of the Year and Georgia Science Teacher of the Year.

She holds a specialist degree in educational leadership.

At the May 9 meeting, Compton said she was “honored to be entrusted with the responsibility.”

A replacement for the assistant principal position could be chosen in coming weeks, Porter said.