Former superintendent Gerri Martin. Photo Credit: Orange County Schools[/caption]The public has until Monday to weigh in on the search for a new Orange County Schools superintendent.
The Board of Education took comments on desired qualities of the superintendent at its Nov. 10 and Nov. 24 meetings. Two community members spoke at the Nov. 10 meeting.
Eric Davis said he wanted a leader who could “embrace leadership” and “galvanize people and get them together.” The superintendent should not be “weak to where they listen to the loudest voice, because loud doesn’t always mean they’re correct.” He added that an ideal superintendent would be someone who cares for all OCS students and listens to the needs of the whole county. He or she should also know the limitations of the office and how to foster communication between the school system and public.
A Hillsborough Elementary School parent, Elvira Mebane, also spoke. She said the board should ask candidates what they can contribute to the district and why they would like to become the superintendent. She suggested that a good superintendent has “integrity and honesty, good communication skills, a willingness to engage the community, (and is) well rounded.” Most important, she said, the candidate must make sure that every student gets a diverse, quality education.
“The community's input is being sought and will be taken into account during this process,” OCS spokesman Seth Stephens said. The board emailed out a survey, and a link to the survey is available on the OCS website at bit.ly/1riQyDt. Residents can also contact board members with their suggestions.
According to the job listing, the next superintendent should be able to “build and retain the trust of the board and the local education community; lead by example to inspire others and instill confidence; develop a local leadership program to recruit, grow, and retain high-quality leaders; effectively discharge the day-to-day business affairs of the school system; demonstrate good judgment, time management, and prioritization skills; understand budget planning and school law; communicate effectively within the school system and also externally throughout the region and state; and use his or her position to promote and advocate for the interests of the school system.”
Stephens could not say how many candidates have applied for the job, but he said the search is “going well.”
The next superintendent will replace Gerri Martin, who resigned in May after less than eight months on the job. She was making $151,337.88 a year.
According to Martin's resignation letter, her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in December.
Martin, the former superintendent of McDowell County Schools, succeeded Patrick Rhodes, who retired in June 2013.
Del Burns is serving as interim superintendent for the second time; he also served between Rhodes and Martin. Burns was the superintendent of Wake County schools from 2006-10.
Orange County Schools has about 7,600 students in 13 schools and an operating budget of $65 million.
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