School board
gets input on search
By CHAVALE
Q. CONNER
Contributing Writer
Several
Holly Springs residents attended a public forum last
Thursday, Feb. 3, at the Multi-Purpose Building on
Memphis Street to discuss and give input on the hiring of
a new superintendent of education.
The meeting
was facilitated by the Holly Springs School District
Board of Trustees and was meant to give the community a
chance to deliberate on the qualifications and attributes
of the superintendent, said Martha Thomas, the board
secretary.
The current
superintendent, Judy Smith, in January announced her
retirement at the close of her five-year contract. The
city school board is faced with the task of finding a
fitting replacement.
According to
Thomas, the meeting was the beginning of a process that
the board assured the audience would be done thoroughly.
“We
initiate the search with a community forum to make it a
very interactive process tonight,” she said.
Attendees
were allowed to suggest skills that they feel a new
superintendent should possess. Fiscal management skills,
academic experience, knowledge concerning issues
state-wide, strong leadership skills, efficiency, and
assertiveness, are all qualifications that the audience
brought to the attention of the board.
“We
need someone who is driven to help to raise this school
system to a level 5,” said Rev. Willie Jeffries.
“The
candidate should be a motivator as well as motivated in
management and people skills,” suggested Rhonda
Bowens, vice president of the Intermediate School’s
PTA.
“We
have a job description as to what we are looking for, yet
we need community input on what the community feels is
important,” explained Thomas. “We may be in a
position to have an interim superintendent if we do not
complete this process.”
The board
hopes that the position is filled prior to June 30, the
day before Smith’s retirement is scheduled to begin.
Mayor
Andre’ DeBerry said, “Public relations skills,
marketing skills and team building skills are all
important. The superintendent will need to work well with
other people in leadership because he or she will be
dealing with issues that they, themselves, did not help
create.”
The board
members will be attending state conference in the coming
weeks and the final decision on a new superintendent
ultimately rests in their hands.
The next
school board meeting takes place Thursday, Feb. 10, at 6
p.m. in the Central Office Boardroom., 840 Highway 178
East, Holly Springs.
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