Board Begins Search for New Superintendent

The position was vacated last month by Randy Bridges, who left after serving as Orange County superintendent for five years to head the Rock Hill, S.C., school district. He was granted the Guy B. and A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year award by the North Carolina School Boards Association in 2001.

Bridges leaves the district after implementing sweeping changes in the Orange County school system. He was instrumental in lessening the achievement gap between white and minority students in Orange County, which has reached record lows.

Bridges also created a student accountability policy in 1997, and SAT scores in the district rose last year after falling the year before.

The school board appointed Michael Williams, a former superintendent in several N.C. counties, to serve as interim superintendent during the search.

Chairwoman Dana Thompson said the board will solicit the help of the NCSBA in its quest for a new superintendent. The NCSBA charges what Thompson said is a small fee -- $4,500 for a statewide search, as opposed to the $40,000 a national firm could charge to perform a nationwide search.

"They will advertise, receive applications and give us advice for what steps to take," Thompson said.

The board will accept applications until Oct. 4, when the official process ends. When all the applications are compiled, the board will begin interviewing potential candidates.

"We're hopeful that we're able to identify someone and have them come on by January 2003," Thompson said.

NCSBA officials told Thompson that a pool of about 20 applicants would be more than sufficient, but Thompson said she thinks anywhere from 20 to 40 people will apply.

"I think we're in a good position to attract somebody of high caliber," she said. "We're a community that is supportive of its schools and its students."

Thompson said the board is looking for a candidate who is committed to improving Orange County schools.

"We're looking for someone with a commitment to excellence in education," she said. "We would like to see someone with a doctorate or superintendent experience, but that's not required."

Thompson also said it would be beneficial to see someone with experience at the building level, such as a counselor, principal or teacher.

She stressed that the board has to be careful about comparing applicants to Bridges. "He certainly had his own style," she said. "We're not looking for a clone of Doctor Bridges."

Thompson said designating a new superintendent is the most important job any school board will face. While the search is at the top of the board's list of goals for the year, she also outlined other goals discussed at the retreat that the board and its new superintendent will work toward fulfilling.

The board must identify a site for the construction of a new middle school, slated to open in August 2005.

Members will also focus on renovating Hillsborough Elementary School, creating a new alternative school and increasing the participation of minority students in upper-level classes.

The City Editor can be reached at citydesk@unc.edu.