ABINGDON, Va. – Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Alan Lee will likely know Tuesday evening if he has a new job.
The Baldwin County, Ala., Board of Education is scheduled to vote at a special 5 p.m. meeting Tuesday on whether to hire Lee as its new superintendent, according to an announcement sent over a Baldwin County school system e-mail list.
The 27,000-student system is in southern Alabama on the Gulf Coast. According to the school system’s announcement, Lee agreed to have his name brought before the board for consideration.
Lee was one of two finalists considered for the position. The board first voted to offer the job to the other finalist, Donald Stinson of Indiana, but Stinson declined the job.
Lee said he believes Baldwin County, like Washington County, has a culture of commitment to its children, even to the point of raising taxes to help the schools weather a crisis.
“I was interested in Baldwin County because of its size and the quality of the schools there,” Lee said. “I’ve been here 11 years, and change has always been invigorating for me.”
He said there’s nothing about Washington County he doesn’t like. The board and teachers are the best, the kids are the most well-behaved and the parents are the most supportive he’s seen, he said. Still, he’s ready for new challenges.
“Washington County is as good as it is because of the contributions of people in every job category in this county,” Lee said. “I have actually sought to have people involved in making decisions, and that has empowered a lot of people to do really good things.”
Lee lists three top accomplishments since his arrival here 11 years ago: Everyone who works in the school system has a voice, hiring is done strictly on merit, and the culture has changed to a belief that kids here are just as smart and capable as kids in any other part of the state, nation or world.
If Lee is chosen in Baldwin County, the man left in charge in Washington County would be Foney Mullins, a longtime educator who was just promoted to assistant superintendent.
Lee describes Mullins, who continues to oversee academic programs along with his new duties, as “very competent.”
Tom Graves, who had served as assistant superintendent, left at the end of April to take a job as superintendent of schools in Chester County, S.C.
Though Mullins is the “go-to person,” Lee said, the Washington County School Board will ultimately decide who to hire to run the schools.
“I’m flattered and humbled at being a finalist in Baldwin County,” Lee said, “just as I’m flattered and humbled to be the superintendent in Washington County.”
dmccown@bristolnews.com | (276) 791-0701
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