School board chairwoman Emily Manning said although the process has not yet begun, the subject should be discussed at tonight’s meeting. The school board meets at 7:30 p.m. in the central office in Kenansville.
Manning said it was her hope to find a new superintendent with similiar qualities to those she saw in Doby.
“I feel that Dr. Doby was an outstanding superintendent and hope the next person we find will have many of his same qualities and desires,” Manning said. “He had the desire to improve the education of the children in Duplin County and raise test scores. I would like to see somebody who works well with people and can gain the public’s trust. As in all superintendents, the new person should have the interests of all the children of Duplin County first and foremost. I felt that Dr. Doby has those qualities, and I hope we can find another person that can bring these qualities to the children and staffs of our schools.”
Improved test scores and an ability to work with other government agencies are high on the priority list for school board member Jennings Outlaw.
“The next superintendent should do a good job at promoting education so the students continue to improve their test scores. The person should be a good administrator, working well with personnel, which is very important. They should be able to administer the day-to-day operation of the school system efficiently by handling the huge variety of matters that come across the desk that many do not know about,” he pointed out.
“The new superintendent should work well with the county commissioners and the different agencies in which the schools operate. This person should be a good public relations person for the school system. They should be a person capable of juggling the responsibilities of the office openly and clearly in all areas from facilities, to budget, curriculum and personnel. We definitely have areas in which we need to improve.”
Outlaw also shared that he hoped the new superintendent would be a person that could work well not only on the local level but at the regional, state and federal levels as well to improve the quality of education for the children of Duplin County.
Parent Karen Scalf, who has been vocal about her problems with the system and Doby, said she hoped the new school leader would be someone who was open and visionary.
“The Board of Education needs to think outside the box of politics. The resume´ qualifications should read as such: Local individual needed with a proven history of open honesty and integrity, who knows the education system, not politics. A person who understands the great resources of Duplin County are its teachers and staff... a person who can utilize financial resources efficiently, work as a team, and make wise decisions by working overtime to clean up the mess we are in today. Our new leader in the education system should start first by working with the Board of Education to educate them on their responsibilities and show them how to take an active role, not a backseat rider. ”
Jimmy Dixon of the Concerned Citizens for Duplin County Education said he believed a good superintendent should be focused on educating children and openly communicating with others.
“I would like to see a superintendent that is a problem solver, someone who truly looks at what is in the best interest for all children of Duplin County. It is my desire that the new person in this position will be open so the public will know what our intentions are. The superintendent’s focus should be on the educational agenda and not a political agenda,” Dixon said.
School finance officer Jo Ann Hartley said the last superintendent search cost the school system $6,716, money paid to the North Carolina School Board Association in Raleigh. That included the board expense of $5,000 and the additional paperwork required such as advertising for the position.
To contact Billy Todd, call 910-592-8137 ext. 117 or e-mail sigeneral@myclintonnc.com.
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