During its May 15 meeting, the Greene County Board of Education discussed its search for a new superintendent who will replace Dr. Chris Houston, who is retiring at the end of the school year.
The board spoke with search firm McPherson & Jacobson regarding community feedback on hiring an efficient leader for the position.
On April 29 and 30, McPherson & Jacobson consultants Dr. Debra White and Dr. Ralph Ferrie led stakeholder meetings representing 15 groups involved with the Greene County School System. These sessions gathered community feedback, and participants included parents, staff, and other community members.
“We received face-to-face input from 185 individuals across the district and community throughout those 15 stakeholder group meetings,” White said. “We feel that we were able to meet across the district and the community, with various groups and individuals, to gather this very important information.”
White also discussed how K12 Insight conducted and analyzed an online survey for community members who could not attend the stakeholder meetings. McPherson & Jacobson surveyed stakeholders with questions regarding community opinion, and the virtual option added 78 additional responses to the analysis.
The survey consisted of four questions, including “What makes your community a good place to live?” “What makes this district good for students/ staff?” “What are the issues that the superintendent needs to know about as he/she enters the district?” and “What skills and qualities would the superintendent need to be successful?”
White and Ferrie discussed common themes in the stakeholder meetings and the K12 Insight survey.
“We did find a tremendous amount of congruity between what we identified and what the online survey identified,” Ferrie said. “Certainly that [Greene County’s] geographic location is a beautiful region of Georgia, the county has a small-town feeling, residents know each other, and there’s a lot of community support for the schools.”
According to Ferrie, participants also felt that Greene County’s wealth and property tax base are advantageous in “supporting resources needed for the school district.”
The survey and meetings also focused on the community’s underlying concerns regarding the county and education.
“Some people felt that there is an economic diversity existing within the county,” White said. “There are also perceptions of division among some residents, and some people felt that this could result from demographic disparity between the students who attend the charter school and those who attend Greene County Schools.”
White also discussed concerns from district staff and community members regarding Lake Oconee Academy’s lottery system used for admissions.
For the survey’s final question, which asked about the community’s wants in a superintendent, White said that many respondents prefer an individual who is “committed to a long-term tenure in the district” and wants to live in the community.
“[They also would like] someone who would attend district and community events, someone who has experience as an educator, and someone who is knowledgeable about current educational trends,” White said. “[The participants want] an excellent communicator and listener who is empathetic, honest, transparent, leads by example, and keeps students at the forefront of all decisions.”
According to White, the BOE received 32 applications for the vacant superintendent position. The applicants came from across Georgia and the United States.
“Our goal is to provide a short list of five recommendations (applicants) from our firm that meet the criteria you have set for your next superintendent,” White said.