What we know about James Cobbs: The person who will be acting superintendent in Brockton

BROCKTON — James Cobbs has officially taken over as acting superintendent of Brockton Public Schools.

The school committee voted to appoint him at an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at Brockton High School.

Cobbs' appointment comes one day after Mike Thomas - who is both superintendent and Brockton High School principal - informed the committee he will be taking medical leave after the district discovered an unaccounted for $14.4 million deficit in last school year's budget, which is fiscal year 2023.

The committee voted 7 to 1 to appoint Cobbs, with Jared Homer being the only committee member to oppose the appointment.

"I support this wholeheartedly," said Mayor Robert Sullivan at the meeting.

"As mayor, I have every Wednesday department head meetings at City Hall. Dr. Cobbs comes to every single meeting on behalf of BPS. He's a deputy superintendent. He's a licensed superintendent. He also served our nation and is a veteran," Sullivan said.

Immediately following the vote, Cobbs shook hands with Sullivan and sat down in the empty superintendent’s seat next to him in the high school’s Little Theater. The theater was filled with residents, and, at times, the brief meeting’s live stream had 700 viewers online.

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Who is James Cobbs?

Cobbs was named deputy superintendent of operations for the Brockton Public Schools in 2022, according to a biography provided by the school department. From 2019 to 2022, he served as executive director of operations. He also served as principal of Edison Academy from 2013 to 2021 and principal of Champion High School and the former BB Russell Alternative School from August 2014 to November 2015.

Cobbs began his career in education in 2001 as an assistant principal, summer school coordinator, and teacher at the Curley Middle School in Jamaica Plain.

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He is a military veteran who has held multiple positions, including executive officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, major, commander of an electrical power line unit, combat engineering, transportation officer and electrician, the school district said. He also has experience as a nursing home executive director, "which equipped him with extensive operations experience," the school department biography said.

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This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Brockton School Committee picks James Cobbs as acting superintendent