LANETT — Lanett City Schools Superintendent Phillip Johnson announced he is stepping down from his post as superintendent at a special meeting called by the Lanett City School Board of Education Thursday night.

Johnson confirmed the resignation to the Valley Times-News Friday night through an emailed statement just hours before the Lanett City Schools graduation ceremony.

“I am simply retiring from Alabama,” Johnson said in an emailed statement. “I have worked in Lanett City Schools since I graduated from Auburn University in 1994.”

Johnson said he has been hired by the Harris County School District in Georgia to serve as the school district’s director of special education.

“I have been blessed to be a part of Lanett City Schools for 25 years,” he said. “There is not another district on this planet that has a more caring, hardworking and professional staff across the board.

He said he and his family have been proud to be a part of the Lanett community for so many years.

“I appreciate the school board and community for trusting me to lead the district for the last 11 years and I believe we have worked well together to bring about new programs and facility improvements,” Johnson said.

He said his last day of employment will be June 30 and he will begin his new job in Harris County on July 1.

In June 2008, Johnson was named the interim superintendent of Lanett when then-superintendent Charles Loosier resigned.

At the time, Johnson served as coordinator for special education, professional development, at-risk and textbooks and director of career/technical programs, secondary instruction and federal programs.

Previous reporting by The Valley Times-News at the time said he was also a teacher in the school during his tenure.

A year later, in July 2009, he was officially named superintendent by the Lanett School Board.

Johnson said Friday night at Lanett High School’s graduation that the district does have a succession plan for after Johnson leaves, which will be revealed at a later date.