Updated: July 28, 1 p.m. - This article has been updated to correct several factual errors. We regret the mistakes. WHQR will maintain a copy of the original article in its archive.
NHCS has an acting superintendent—Dr. Christopher Barnes, who immediately filled in after Dr. Charles Foust’s abrupt firing—so the board doesn’t need to fill the interim role next week. However, multiple board members shared their desire to see someone in the interim role by the time the school year starts.
New Hanover County Schools will hold a town hall on Aug. 13 for teachers, staff, and the community to share their priorities for a new superintendent. From here, the board will have to decide on an interim candidate.
Christine Scheef, director of legal policy for the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA), briefly discussed the standard process for selecting an interim superintendent.
The NCSBA sends the school board candidate resumes and other materials that will aid the board in making their decision. They also typically vet candidates and check superintendent licenses. Interim superintendent candidates do not need these licenses.
Board member Stephanie Kraybill asked her if a pool of three to five candidates was adequate for the interim search.
Scheef said that the timeline process can depend on a number of factors that the board is responsible for, including setting up interviews, vetting candidates, and selecting the pool of candidates.
During their July 16 meeting, board members and Barnes discussed using a firm to conduct a national search for Foust's official replacement.
Board members weigh in on the process
After Tuesday's presentation, board members shared personal priorities in the search for both the interim and permanent superintendent positions — although no vote was taken on formal criteria.
Board chair Pete Wildeboer said he had contacted local principals and asked what they wanted to see in a superintendent. The common thread in their responses was 'experience.'
Board member Melissa Mason said candidates should be familiar with managing a budget after this year’s long and arduous budget cycle.
“They need to have good knowledge of finances and financial management,“ Mason said. “And solid knowledge of the educational law, knowing what is okay and what isn’t.”
Another board member, Hugh McManus, also criticized this year’s budget process and said he wants a superintendent who isn’t politically involved. He said that if NHCS didn’t have to pay charter schools, they wouldn’t have the budget problem members mentioned — although that's a state-level issue the local board can't control.
Stephanie Walker said that the board needs to work on its budget processes after this year’s standstill, which took three meetings to pass.
Some board members initially said it was unnecessary to hold a town hall before selecting the interim — saying town halls are intended for big-picture questions about what the community wants from a new superintendent.
Kraybill also raised concerns about the timeline, calling the board “divided” and citing the recent NHCS Climate Survey’s results as evidence. She blamed the board for certain cultural rifts in the school district.
Walker said she knew of several retired superintendents in the area who could help the board with the selection process. She also said it was uncommon to have multiple interviews with candidates specifically for the interim position.
“We have a huge climate and culture issue, and we have to allow our interim superintendent to investigate it,” Kraybill said.
Member Josie Barnhart raised the idea of a month-to-month interim candidate.
Member Pat Bradford suggested slowing down the process. She said the board could consider asking the county commissioners for two consultants — one for budgeting advice and one for finding a permanent superintendent.
“We continue to keep pushing things out and not look at the whole process,” Kraybill said. “We are not looking at the start of school at all if we don’t start things now.”
The board met in closed session for over an hour to discuss the process. When they returned, Wildeboer said they would begin conducting interviews for the interim position and hear community feedback at the town hall before deciding on an interim candidate.
[Editor's Note: This article previously incorrectly stated that Barnes didn't have a superintendent's license. He does. We regret the error.]
