Last June, when former city schools Superintendent Dr. Del Phillips climbed into his red truck and drove away from the district’s central office, the search began for his successor.
It has been a course fraught with twists, turns and dead ends. But now, with three superintendent candidates slated for interviews next week, the district is entering the final furlough.
A 50-member committee was selected earlier in the week to watch the interviews and provide feedback on the candidates. Thursday afternoon, Board President Tommy Prude released the names of the people tasked with representing the community’s interests in the process.
Initially, each board member was to select five people to serve on the committee, and the remaining 25 would be chosen by lottery. But Thursday morning, Prude said some board members waived their rights to appoint, so only 14 people were hand-selected by the board.
The remaining 36 were chosen by lottery, and the 50 were randomly assigned a candidate interview to attend. All interviews will be open to the public, but the committee members will only be allowed to give feedback about their assigned candidate via a survey distributed before each interview.
Though the search is nearing its end, the journey has not been easy.
The search
Shortly after Phillips’ departure, the board hired Iowa-based executive headhunters Ray and Associates — the same firm that lured Phillips to his new post as Director of Sumner County Schools in Gallatin, Tenn.
A few weeks later, amid heated budget discussions, the board backed out of the $15,500 proposal, opting instead to hire the Mississippi School Boards Association at $9,500 to conduct the search.
At the beginning of the year, advertisements were placed in regional and national publications, and the first round of 10 applicants was screened by MSBA and presented to the board. Before the board could narrow the pool, one candidate withdrew.
After reviewing the remaining nine resumes, the board decided to cast a wider net wider, resulting in an additional 11 resumes.
The board narrowed their preferred candidates to four and scheduled interviews. A few days later, Dr. John G. Ladner, of Moss Point, removed his name from consideration.
So now, with three candidates on the roster, the board enters the final phase.
The interviews
All interviews will be held at 6 p.m. at CMSD’s Brandon Central Services Office, located at 2630 McArthur Drive.
The interviews will be open to the general public, but neither they nor the committee members will be able to question the candidates.
The first interview will be May 22, when Isaac “Ike” Leon Haynes appears before the board. Haynes, a native of Prentiss, is currently serving as superintendent of the Jefferson Davis County School District.
Committee members assigned to give feedback following his interview are Dr. Mary Alexander, Betsy Altmyer, Eliska Dyson, Kennetra Floyd, Susan Jones, Lois Kappler, Thomas Lee, Timothy J. McMullin, Josie Moore, Hattie S. Petty, Doug Phillips, Lori Pierce, Columbus Mayor Robert Smith, Courtney Stanback and Danette Starks.
Alexander, Altmyer, Lee, and Smith were chosen by school board members.
Dr. Pamela Taylor Henson will be interviewed May 24. Henson, a native of Daphne, Ala., is the director of instructional support for the Baldwin County Board of Education in Bay Minette, Ala.
Committee members assigned to her interview are Scott Colom, Henri Jane Dyson, Jabari Edwards, Felicia Elmore, Dorothy Gerhart, Brandon Haynes, George Irby, Melinda Lowe, Dr. Barbara Moore, Stuart Phillips, Heather Rowland, Dr. John Stanback, Patty Thrash, Shay Vought, Susan Whitman, Hilbert Williams and Chuck Yarborough.
Moore, Williams, Stanback, Irby, and Edwards were chosen by school board members. Yarborough has withdrawn his name due to a scheduling conflict.
The final candidate, Dr. Martha Liddell, will be interviewed May 25. Liddell, a native of Winston County, has served as interim superintendent of the Columbus Municipal School District since Phillips’ resignation.
Committee members assigned to her interview are Dave Allen, Otis Allen, Ward 3 City Councilman Charlie Box, Cynthia Buob, Phillip Cockrell, John O. Dyson, Rhonda Ellis, Shandre’ Ellis, Peter Imes, Paula James, R.J. Matthews, Jim Mullis, Sarah Oswalt, Leona Stokes, Elton Thomas and Sara Vought.
Box, James, Matthews, Mullis and Stokes were chosen by school board members.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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