The search for the next Superintendent of the Lamar CountySchool System is underway. At their October 21 meeting, the Board of Education voted to use Georgia Leadership Associates to facilitate the search. The search firm will carry out the Board’s directives to advertise the vacant position across the state. Vacancy announcements will be sent to all school districts in Georgia and to all Georgia RESAs. The vacancy will beposted on the website of the school system, the Georgia School Boards Association, the Georgia School Superintendents Association, and the GLA website. “The Lamar County Board of Education understands the importance of this search. The Board will work as a team to find the best candidate to lead our system,” said Danny Turner, Board Chair.
ANTICIPATED TIMELINE:
Georgia Leadership Associates presented the Board tentative timeline which includes accepting applications until December 1, 2024. The Board has developed a schedule for the search that allows sufficient time for each step and that is anticipated to conclude with the selection of the new Superintendent by February 2025. During the search process, the Board will survey community members and employees to establish a profile to evaluate applications. The search plan includes the board meeting to review all applications and to prepare for the interview process.
It is the Board’s desire to conduct a thorough search process that involves the community and employees while maintaining the necessary confidentiality of applicants until there is public release of finalist(s) as specified by state statute. The Board anticipates conducting the first round of interviews in December. A fixed number of interviews to conduct will not be established until the applicant pool is reviewed. The Board hopes to announce one, two, or three finalists for the position by January and to make the final selection and complete the process by February.
APPLICANT REVIEW PROCESS:
GLA will receive and process all applications and research all applicants for the Board. They will handle all communications with applicants, and present all information on all applicants for the Board’s consideration. The Board will use the profile from stakeholder surveys and input to determine who to interview and select as Superintendent. “We handle the details of the search and provide the best possible information for the Board to make a good decision, but we do not tell the Board who to hire,” stated GLA facilitator Dr. Allen McCannon. “Our job is to secure a strong pool of applicants and to assist the Board in selecting the very best Superintendent for Lamar County. There will be strong interest in this position because of the reputation of the school system, the community, and the Board.”