West: Superintendent job 1
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on January 5, 2015 1:46 PM
The biggest challenge before the Wayne County Board of Education in the new year is finding the right person to lead the district, says recently elected chairman Chris West.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Taylor announced his retirement in November, effective Dec. 1, and Dr. Sandra McCullen, formerly associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, was chosen to serve as interim superintendent through June.
With construction projects for two new schools in Grantham and Spring Creek well under way and on track to open in the fall, along with other renovations projects in process, West said the other priority now is the superintendent's search.
"It's on the state school board website and some other websites," he said. "We chose not to go with the N.C. School Board Association superintendent's search but it's on their website."
This is the not the first time in West's four years on the board that a search for superintendent has been launched. When Taylor initially announced his retirement, in April 2013, the board "got a good response" from potential candidates before Taylor withdrew his paperwork one month later, choosing to remain indefinitely.
"I feel confident that we'll get good applicants just as we did before," West said last week. "I think the timing of it is kind of critical because we're in the middle of a school year. I know there are four other counties in North Carolina that are now in search of a superintendent.
"But I think our school system was one of the largest of the five that are in search of a superintendent now, as far as population."
Wayne County is ranked 20th largest in the state, with an average annual enrollment of 19,000-plus students.
West said the 60-day application term will be up around the end of January, at which time the board will assess the candidates interested in the position.
"If we don't get the applicant that we think is best suited for Wayne County Public Schools, we've got the right to extend that beyond the 60 days," he said. "Our goal is to try to have someone in place, obviously, by the end of this fiscal year.
"I think we have got to be really careful about who we choose, to choose someone to lead the school system in a new direction."
Leadership ability and how the incoming superintendent might have administered the previous school system are among the criteria West said he would be considering.
School board Vice Chairman Arnold Flowers said he is also excited about the prospects of the search and agreed with taking time to make the best choice.
"When we get a new superintendent, you never say never, but my gut feelings, I want to think about someone that's completely removed from our system," he said. "But I would not disqualify someone (local)."
Flowers said he preferred not to list specific criteria.
"Anything I say may sound like I'm relating to our former superintendent," he said. "But there are some things I personally feel like we should be looking at, that we have not looked at in the past. I won't say what they are right now."
He said he will weigh responses from the candidates interviewed and does have some thoughts "in the back of my mind" as far as expectations for the new leader.
"I'm going to pray about it, seek the Lord's guidance," he said. "I'm just one vote on the board of seven. I just hope that we get some good applicants.
"I would really like to see somebody that really was a go-getter type person."
West said this is a opportunity for the board to work together and have input into the selection process.
"Hopefully we'll narrow it down to three (candidates), set up interviews with them," he said. "We've got some time. We don't have a lot of time because June will be here before you know it.
"We certainly don't need to make a decision unless we think it's the right person."
The two board members refrained from saying much about the recent controversy that bubbled up in the midst of Taylor's departure and that of then-board chairman John Grantham, who lost his bid for re-election to Jennifer Strickland.
At a called meeting one week after the election, Mrs. McCullen's name was submitted as interim and receiving a vote of 4-3. Board members Grantham, Rick Pridgen, Dr. Dwight Cannon and Patricia Burden cast votes in favor, while West, Flowers and Eddie Radford raised concerns over the lack of discussion as a full board before taking action.
One month later, when the vote was held for chairman, vice chairman West was nominated and so was Pridgen. West won by a vote of 4-3, with the majority now comprised of West, Flowers, Radford and Mrs. Strickland.
West maintains that for him the interim vote was not personal, but more about the process by which it was derived. He said he believes in Mrs. McCullen's ability to do the job.
"The transition was really smooth," he said. "She's handling the task I think well. She's had a passion for Wayne County Public Schools. She's been involved with WCPS for 42 years. We've got some good people in place. I think she expects everyone to do their job.
"My main concerns, and I have said this since I have been on the board -- students, No. 1 and the educators, administrators in the field. We've got to support them and give them the tools they need to be successful."
As to any division on the board, West said he has "moved on" and wants to see the board working together and accomplish things that are in the best interest of Wayne County students.
"We have got a great relationship with the county commission board and new county manager," he said. "They're doing a good job. We need to continue that relationship and work together because we have to have cooperation.
"They have been very receptive to our needs and this whole building process wouldn't have happened without them and us working together. I think those relationships have improved greatly."