All five candidates have had a chance to tour select facilities in Huntsville City Schools district, meet school leaders, teachers and some students along with community leaders at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. Each of their day-long interviews ended with a televised interview during a board meeting.

Now it is time for the board of education to select the top candidate or perhaps a set of two or three to call back for a final interview. A board meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 30th to address a final selection.

Community Engagement Survey Should Guide the Selection

At the beginning of the superintendent search process, a community survey was conducted – over 2,000 surveys were submitted. Huntsville United trusts the board of education will review and rely on the results of the Community Engagement Survey conducted by the Alabama Association of School Boards (AASB) to guide them in selecting the new superintendent from the five finalists. If they do, we are confident the new superintendent will have the support of the community.

Stakeholder Input Sought

Board members all agree community members’ feedback is important as they take the next steps in deciding who should be the next superintendent.

“I’m hoping a lot of people will give us feedback,” Huntsville School Board President Elisa Ferrell said in an interview with WHNT.

The Board of Education accepted community posted a feedback form on the district website through Thursday 1/26. Feedback sent through this form will be shared with all five board members. If you’d like to send messages or call your district representative directly their contact info is listed.

Below are links to the candidates’ application packets, board meeting interviews (all were asked the same questions which had been supplied to the candidates prior to their interview), along with stories and coverage from local media.

There are active conversation threads on two Facebook groups that focus on Huntsville City Schools – Uplifting Huntsville City Schools and Let’s Talk~HCS Community Forum.

Townhalls This Week

Michelle Watkins, School Board representative for District 1 is hosting townhalls this week to collect stakeholder input directly. The schedule is:

• Tuesday, Jan 24th at 6:30pm at the Richard Showers Recreation Center, 4600 Blue Springs Road.
• Wednesday, Jan 25th at 6:30pm at the Harrison Center, 6158 Pulaski Pike
• Thursday, Jan 26th at 6:30pm at the Calvary Hills Friendship Center, 2900 Fairbanks Street
• Saturday, Jan 28th at 10:00am at the Fellowship Presbyterian Church, 3406 Meridian Street