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ALBANY, GA --
The Dougherty County School Board  has named Dr. Angela Shumate as the new Principal of Albany High School during a meeting Monday afternoon.

Superintendent Dr. Joshua Murfree says a 9-person panel -- including a member from the Georgia Department of Education -- named Interim Principal Scott Horton, Kono Smith, and Dr. Shumate as the top 3 finalists following the interview process last week.

Dr. Murfree says Dr. Shumate came out on top and was picked for the position. The board will now forward this recommendation to the Georgia Department of Education in the hopes that they will release the School Improvement Grant Funds that were frozen in July.

One of the conditions of releasing the funds included naming a principal to the at-risk high school.

Although Dr. Shumate's hiring was approved by the board, it wasn't unanimous in the 5-2 vote. (Reverend James Bush, David Maschke, Velvet Riggins, Anita Williams Brown and Milton Griffin voted for Dr. Shumate's rehiring, Darrel Ealum and Carol Tharin voted against the motion.) Board member Darrel Ealum says he does not feel Dr. Shumate was the right fit for office following some recent issues.

In August, Dr. Shumate went before the Dougherty County Tribunal Board as part of the 2009 CRCT cheating scandal. After hearing the case, the board recommended Dr. Shumate have her contract renewed.

Dr. Murfree says although the tribunal board recommended this, they still had Dr. Shumate participate in the interview process. Dr. Murfree says once the tribunal board acquitted her, it should not be a factor of her hiring because that's how the judicial system works.

Dr. Murfree says they will forward this decision to the Department of Education and hope the School Improvement Grant funds will be released.