Smith County board to start formal search after Director Barry Smith declines contract extension

The Smith County Board of Education on Tuesday moved to begin a formal search for a new director of schools after Director Barry Smith told the board he would not seek a contract extension.

Board members voted to place a timeline and hiring process on next month’s agenda so the board can set application deadlines and vet candidates through the school system’s attorneys.

Board members said the typical procedure will be used: advertise the vacancy publicly, route applications to the district attorney’s office for certification of qualifications and licenses, present certified applicants to the board, conduct interviews and narrow finalists. The board’s chair said the board often aims for an April 1 start date for a newly hired director so the successor can shadow the current director in April, May and June.

“Most of the time, the attorneys . . . would present them at a certain time. We’ll have a meeting to the board, and then we would know who the candidates are,” the board chair said during the discussion.

Board members discussed logistics and timeline options but did not set a final application cutoff date; the chair said a December deadline was one example the board could adopt at its next meeting. The chair also said applications should be sent to the district’s attorneys rather than to individual board members or the central office.

The board discussed contract length and precedent. Members said contracts in past hires have ranged from one to four years and that the board will decide the contract term if and when it hires a replacement. The chair noted that a current director who wishes to apply may do so: “Mr. Smith will be also eligible if he would like to put in for the job.”

Action taken: the board voted to place the hiring process and timeline on the agenda for the next regular meeting so it can set formal application dates and selection steps. No final hire or candidate was selected at the meeting.

The board’s stated next steps are: advertise the position, have the district attorneys certify applicants’ credentials, present certified applicants to the board in January (an illustrative target given in discussion), and schedule interviews and finalist rounds in February and March if needed.