Bristol, Va., School Board schedules public hearing on search for new superintendent

BRISTOL, Va. – City residents will get a chance Monday to voice their wishes for the city’s next school superintendent.

The School Board has scheduled a 6 p.m. public hearing to solicit input as part of its search to replace Ina Danko, who retires in June.

“The last time we did this, we had a public hearing and a survey,” board Chairwoman Virginia Goodson said Thursday. “We got 290 surveys back, but compiling all that information became very intense. So, this time, we decided to just go with the public hearing.”

Goodson said she hopes parents, teachers and others interested will take time to share their thoughts.

“I want people to be honest and realistic about what they want for this school system,” Goodson said.

This will mark the fourth superintendent search for Vice Chairman Randy White, who has spent 16 years on the board.

“I don’t expect to hear anything really new,” White said of Monday’s hearing. “We keep a pretty high standard.”

School leaders will select from at least seven applications already screened by the Virginia School Boards Association, but plan to solicit more.

Advertising the position locally – and on the division’s Web site – this month should not be viewed as dissatisfaction with the current field, Goodson said.

“They are all excellent,” Goodson said of the field of seven. “We want to make sure there aren’t any local candidates that want to be considered or just anyone else.”

The field now includes three current or former superintendents, two assistant superintendents and two with administrative experience. All are from Virginia and any additional applicants will undergo the same VSBA vetting process. The identities of all applicants are being withheld.

“We will take additional applications for 30 days, from Dec. 15 to Jan. 15, and after that begin scheduling interviews,” Goodson said. “We hope to have the process completed and the announcement made by April.”

All interviews will be conducted in closed session, outside the view of the public and news media.

Despite the state’s current budget woes, both said the Bristol job should be appealing, given the division’s accreditation and the fact that it meets the Standards of Quality, Standards of Learning and No Child Left Behind guidelines.

“The next superintendent won’t have to come in here and fix a bunch of problems,” Goodson said.

She added she is looking for a superintendent who can maintain a good working relationship with the board and the employees. She also hopes to hire someone who is well versed in the budget process, curriculum at different levels and one who will place an emphasis on technology.

White checked off some similar attributes, including classroom and school administrative experience, someone who is personable and outgoing and will take an active role in the community.

It is not critical, both said, that the person has already served as a superintendent.

“Assistant superintendents have experienced a lot and climbed the ladder,” White said.

None of the division’s four most recent superintendents previously served in a similar position before accepting the Bristol job, Goodson said.
The position has been somewhat of a revolving door, with three occupying the superintendent’s chair during the past four years. Frank Finan retired at the end of the 2005-06 school year and replacement Doug Arnold left unexpectedly in May 2008, after just two years on the job.

Danko, who previously served as principal at Virginia High School, ended her retirement from that position after one day to accept the interim superintendent’s title in July 2008. She later agreed to extend her stay for a second year and the interim tag was removed.

“It would definitely be good if we could change that,” White said of the short stays of recent superintendents. “I would really like someone who can stay here, but it can be difficult in a small community.”

dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532