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Cumberland County board advances director search, recommends TSBA Plan 2 and sets July 1 target
Summary
At a Thursday work session the Cumberland County School Board discussed use of TSBA to run the director search, recommended Plan 2 (including a discounted first-year evaluation), set a goal of a July 1 permanent hire, and noted three letters of interest for the interim director to be considered at the 6 p.m. meeting.
The Cumberland County School Board at a Thursday work session discussed using the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA) to run the district's director of schools search, recommended TSBA's Plan 2 and asked that TSBA provide a discounted rate for the new director's first-year evaluation. Board members said they want a permanent director in place by July 1 so the new leader can form working relationships before students return in August.
Board members emphasized the importance of using an outside firm to screen candidates and said TSBA would help set a timeline for applications, screening and interviews. One board member said the board preferred TSBA's Plan 2 and asked TSBA to include the discounted first-year superintendent-evaluation service; another said the cost (discussed in the meeting as about $7,500) was comparable to the staff time necessary to run the process internally.
The board discussed a realistic hiring timetable, with TSBA estimating the process could take a couple of months. Several board members said the district should be prepared to set interview dates and move quickly once TSBA completes screening and background checks. The board agreed a practical target for having a permanent director in place is July 1, contingent on the number of applicants and speed of screening.
Board members discussed the superintendent salary range the district should advertise. Using state comparables, a board member recommended a range of $120,000 to $150,000, with final compensation negotiable based on experience and fringe benefits.
The board noted it had received three letters of interest for the interim director position: Dr. Maddox, Mr. Simmons and Dr. Parker; their resumes were included in meeting materials. The board said it will consider those candidates and vote on interim appointments at the regular 6 p.m. meeting.
TSBA's role and next steps: TSBA will be asked to recommend meeting frequency and a timeline to meet the board's hiring goals. Board members said they expect to meet several times during the search process and to rely on TSBA for screening and candidate-referral work.
No formal hiring votes were recorded in the work session minutes. The board recorded only that the agenda was approved at the start of the meeting and that the interim-candidate vote is scheduled for the 6 p.m. session.
The board also discussed that two of the applicants (identified in the meeting as Doctor Farley and Doctor Maddox) have completed a superintendent academy program; that detail will be part of the candidate record when the board considers interim or permanent appointments.
The board concluded discussion of the search by noting the need for a clear timeline and coordination with TSBA; final actions on interim appointments and any formal hiring steps were set for the regular meeting later in the day.
