Proclamation Dr. James R. Hallford

                    PROCLAMATION       Honoring Dr. James R. Hallford
WHEREAS:     The DeKalb County Board of Education and the DeKalb County School District join the family in celebrating the
             life of former Superintendent, Dr. James R. Hallford; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. James R. Hallford served the DeKalb County School District from 1962-2002; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford’s 40-year career in education included being an English teacher, assistant principal, principal,
             Area I and II Administrator, Area II Assistant Superintendent, Associate and Deputy Superintendent, and
             Superintendent, overseeing more than 100,000 students in Georgia’s third-largest school district; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford’s professional accomplishments include establishing a system-wide Teacher Forum, nine charter
             schools, four year-round schools, a School of the Arts, the pre-kindergarten program, the school nurses’
             program, the first Truancy School, the Junior Police Academy, 18 Family Technology Centers, School and
             Community Action teams in 31 schools, and the first “Reading First” program; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford led the District during its first Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) initiative;
             and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford served our country as First Lieutenant in the United States Army Infantry from 1960 to 1962; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford is survived by his wife, LeAnn, his children, Ren and Tryllis; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford was a member of and served in leadership roles in many civic and community organizations of
             importance to him, such as being President of the Rotary Club of Tucker and a Paul Harris Fellow, President of
             the Twinless Twin Support Group International, and Vice President of the Georgia Federal Credit Union Board of
             Directors; and

WHEREAS:     Dr. Hallford also served on the boards of the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center, the DeKalb Historical Society, the
             DeKalb Council for the Arts, Leadership DeKalb, and, in 1997, was awarded “Mr. DeKalb” by the American Heart
             Association; and


THEREFORE:   We, the DeKalb County Board of Education and Acting Superintendent, on behalf of the DeKalb County School
             District, do hereby acknowledge the noble career of Dr. James R. Hallford, for his dedication and service to the
             children of DeKalb County School District.

             In official recognition, whereof, we hereby affix our signatures this 10th day of November 2025.