The Carroll County School Board is considering what is it that they are looking for when hiring a new superintendent. The board decided to hold a separate meeting to discuss a possible search.
Board member Donnie Wiltshire said he wanted the board to think about what they really wanted in a superintendent and come back with ideas.
In 2016, legislators approved a bill that made all elected superintendents appointed. The superintendent’s in office, like Carroll County’s Billy Joe Ferguson, will hold their elected office until December 31, 2019.
The newly appointed superintendent will take office January 1, 2020.
“April is coming on us fast, and we need to decide what we’re going to do,” Wiltshire said.
Board member John Phillips told members the Mississippi Education Search Consortium isn’t the only agency they could use to aid them in searching for a new superintendent.
“We don’t have to use the MESC we can also use the Mississippi School Board Association,” Phillips said, adding that he didn’t want an out-of-state agency to come in and aid in their search.
“No, we don’t want them. They don’t know anything about us,” Wiltshire said.
He added that he had checked with the MSBA, and it would cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to aid in the search.
“It’s cheaper than what Mr. Wade presented, but y’all said you didn’t want to pay anyone,” Wiltshire said.
“Why can’t we just do it ourselves?” Board member William Downs asked. “We can conduct our own interview and do the hiring ourselves. Our constituents put us here to make the best decision, and I think we can do it ourselves. I’d rather see that $5,000 in the classroom.”
“We can do it ourselves,” Wiltshire said.
Board attorney Lori Bell said the board can hold a separate work session to decide what they’re looking for ahead of time, and the board decided to hold a work session at Bell’s office.
Also, Ferguson added that they needed to hire school principals during that meeting.
“There are surveys and evaluations that the teachers do, and I haven’t looked at all of them so I can’t give a recommendation now,” Ferguson said, adding that he wanted to hold a special session before March 1 to decide.
“If we don’t decide anything before March 1, then they’re automatically hired,” he said.
