By Ranae Bartlett
President
Madison City Schools Board of Education
The search for a new Madison City Schools superintendent is well under way.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Robby Parker, who led our system through a period of unprecedented growth. We are happy for him and the opportunities for him in his retirement from Madison City Schools after 31 years.
We are also glad he has accepted the Board of Education’s invitation to be our guest speaker at the 2020 graduation ceremonies for both Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools.
Mr. Parker’s retirement announcement nearly two months ahead of his departure gives us ample time to screen and interview candidates and appoint a successor within the 180-day limit state law allows. Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell is serving as interim between Mr. Parker’s Feb. 28 retirement date and the time when the new superintendent comes on board. In accordance with our past practices, a person who accepts the position of interim superintendent is not eligible to apply for the vacant position.
Our Board has enlisted the help of our longtime attorney, Woody Sanderson, to guide us through the search process. He has already assisted the Board in obtaining feedback from our stakeholders through an online survey, as well as public meetings about what they would like to see in our next superintendent.
The timetable adopted by the Board sets a March 23 application deadline. Applications go to Mr. Sanderson, and he will use the board’s criteria to narrow the application field to those who will be interviewed.
The Board plans to announce finalists at its April 9 meeting and hold interviews April 20-22 – and then April 28, if needed. The interview schedule will be announced publicly, and interviews will be streamed online for those unable to attend. There will also be opportunities for the public to meet the finalists before they are interviewed.
The Board plans to name a permanent superintendent at its regularly scheduled April 30 board meeting, with the intent that the new superintendent can start by June 1, 2020.
This is an exciting time for Madison City Schools, ranked second out of 137 public school systems in Alabama by most metrics. The Board is mindful of the high standards our community has for its education system and is earnestly searching for a superintendent who can lead our system to even greater heights.
