School board approves criteria for selecting new director

  
 Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith swears in new school board members a little before noon before a called meeting on September 2. Pictured Daniel Thornton (below) and  Allen Currie (above).

Before beginning a called meeting on Tuesday, September 2, the Haywood County School Board members witnessed the swearing in of their two new members, Daniel Thornton and Allen Currie. Officiating at the ceremony was Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith. Afterwards, board vice-chairman Harold Garrett presided over the meeting with Tennessee School Board Association (TSBA) Executive Director Dr. Tammy Grissom as the special guest.

The local school board in May commissioned the TSBA to assist with the search for a new Director of Schools. The board requested that TSBA assist in establishing criteria for judging candidates for the position as well as recommend candidates for the board’s consideration, according to Dr. Grissom’s Interim report.

Dr. Grissom presented to the board the results from local meetings with school employees, community leaders and community members held on August 19. One of the purposes of the meetings was to offer participants an opportunity to learn about the selection proceedings and to express opinions about the qualifications and characteristics desired in a director of schools. Another is to, from this information, present to the board criteria that could be used in the Director of Schools selection process.

The board members were given for approval, the Interim Report booklet showing the criteria that the people who attended the meetings said were most important to them and the minimum qualifications stated in Board Policy #5.802 Qualifications and Duties of the Director of Schools.

Daniel Thornton asked if the policy could be changed to open the door for a wider selection of candidates. Specifically he asked if the master’s degree requirement could be changed to a bachelor’s degree. The board discussed the issue and asked Dr. Grissom what other school systems required. She said that out of the last eight schools for which they have done Director searches, all of them required a master’s degree. In the end, the board approved the criteria and Policy #5.802 as presented. Dr. Grissom told the board that she may bring up to five candidates for the interview process.

Briefly, the criteria includes the following characteristics: good listener, able to work with and generate support from the board, ability to initiate and adapt to change, effective spokesman for school district needs, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, effective communicator, generator of support, committed to long-range planning, goal-oriented, exhibits strong interpersonal communication skills, manager of budget and fiscal affairs, and demonstrates sensitive to cultural diversity.

To see the report in its entirety, click on Interim Report.