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Schools

Superintendent resumes come from far and near

Applicants include two senior county administrators and two retired colonels.

By TOM MARSHALL
Published January 10, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - The resumes were coming fast and furious at the Hernando County School Board as the deadline approached Tuesday for candidates to succeed Wendy Tellone as superintendent.

Some came with far-flung postmarks, from Oregon, Chicago and New York.

And two came from just down the hall.

Two senior Hernando County administrators - Sonya Jackson, executive director of school services and accountability, and Barbara Kidder, director of labor relations and professional standards - waited until the final hours of the superintendent search before revealing their aspirations this week.

"If given this opportunity, I would gladly embrace this position with an uncompromising quest for high standards and integrity to support the entire community," Jackson promised in her application.

"I believe I have the demonstrated instructional leadership, effective relationship building and problem solving experience, and an unwavering commitment to the Hernando County School District's students in meeting the challenges of this position," Kidder said in hers.

Both have broad experience in education. Jackson previously managed staff development issues in Hernando and served as principal of William Moseley Elementary School in Palatka. Kidder was the director of human resources, an assistant principal at West Hernando Middle School and a teacher at Suncoast Elementary.

They will join at least two other candidates with deep local knowledge: Ken Pritz, executive director of facility and support operations and a former West Hernando Middle School principal, and former Hernando High principal and teacher Elaine Sullivan.

But those locals will have some stiff competition from outsiders, including two superintendents from Broward and Brevard counties; a pair of retired colonels from the Army and the Air Force, both serving as superintendents; and a passel of principals and chief executives from school districts large and small.

So far, 31 applications have been accepted. But it's likely that a few more will arrive by week's end, said general counsel J. Paul Carland, who is overseeing the search.

Under guidelines established by the School Board, applications must have been postmarked by Tuesday. They will be forwarded to board members and a 15-member citizens advisory committee.

That panel will convene weekly beginning Jan. 17 to review resumes, interview some candidates by telephone and give a list of recommended finalists to the School Board by Feb. 9. Public interviews of finalists are scheduled for the first and second weeks of March.

Tom Marshall can be reached at 352 848-1431 or tmarshall@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 10, 2007, 06:50:58]