MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After months of waiting, the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board is expected to resume talks about hiring a permanent school district superintendent.
“We’re scheduled to have a board retreat over the weekend (October 28th-29th),” school board chair Bishop Althea Greene said. “Because we have new board members, I want to make sure that I’m transparent with them, that they get information on timelines.”
It was in August when former superintendent Dr. Joris Ray stepped down in scandal.
“I want to be very clear that we’re doing a national search to fill this position,” Bishop Greene said. “We’re going to have community input. We’re going to have student input.”
Bishop Greene was at a meeting Sunday where she heard public comments on the superintendent search collected by the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope.
MICAH community organizer Gisela Guerrero wants to make sure local candidates are also seriously considered.
“I think that would just be proof of their capabilities and skills and that they would be the right fit,” she said.
Guerrero said proper community involvement is the most important part of the board’s search for a new leader.
“We are looking forward to hearing more about the many ways that the key stake holders, including the parents, students and teachers, will be involved in the superintendent search process.”
Bishop Greene said there is no current timetable or deadline for their decision.
“We want the best employee in front of our students,” she said. “So we don’t want to put a timeline on that.”