The Cherokee County Board of Education is set to vote at its monthly meeting tonight to approve and hire Barbara Jacoby, managing editor of the Cherokee Tribune, as the school district’s new spokeswoman.

Jacoby will succeed Mike McGowan, who was removed from the post in January after his third DUI arrest in Cherokee County on Dec. 17. It was his fourth DUI arrest in Georgia.

McGowan remains employed by the Cherokee County School District, albeit on extended leave, said Carrie Budd, the system's coordinator of community relations and publications. McGowan is enrolled in Cherokee County’s DUI/Drug Court, which can last up to two years.

Jacoby, who has served as the Tribune's managing editor since 1998, plans to end her tenure with the newspaper May 13 and assume her new duties with the school district May 16.

"I’m excited," she said. "I felt like it was an opportunity to do even greater good for the community, and I felt it would be something I would excel at and enjoy."

Jacoby said she wants "to build on the successes accomplished by the system and to look for ways to improve public relations, communications and partnerships" for the school district.

The school board will meet in the Historic Canton High School/School Board Auditorium for a strategic work session at 6 tonight, then hold the regular meeting at 7. In addition to the vote on the district spokeswoman, the agenda includes recognition of the county's finalists for this summer's Governor’s Honors Program and several policy and financial issues.

For the full meeting agenda, click here.