Hamilton County school board narrows search for interim superintendent to 3 candidates

From left are Hamilton County School Board members Dr. Jonathan Welch, Superintendent Rick Smith, Donna Horn, Dr. Greg Martin and Joe Galloway.
From left are Hamilton County School Board members Dr. Jonathan Welch, Superintendent Rick Smith, Donna Horn, Dr. Greg Martin and Joe Galloway.

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: The Hamilton County school board narrowed its search for an interim superintendent to three candidates. Kirk Kelly, Jill Levine and Shaun Sadler will be interviewed for the position next week.

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The Hamilton County Board of Education met today to discuss the school system's budget for next year and the interim superintendent candidates.

Last month, the board was told the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2017 had a shortfall of about $35 million. Board members debated whether the school system should ask Hamilton County for a funding increase or make budget cuts.

The office of Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger is expected to begin holding workshops regarding the county's budget the end of this month.

The board voted today which of the eight candidates they wanted to interview for the district's interim superintendent position. Board members voted for three candidates to be interviewed, and the three leading vote-getters will be interviewed next week. Kirk Kelly received nine votes while Jill Levine and Shaun Sadler each received five, according to an unofficial count. Dwight Mayberry and Robert Purifico also received votes, gaining four and one, respectively.

The applicants for the position are:

* Kirk Kelly, acting superintendent and former assistant superintendent of testing and accountability for Hamilton County schools

* Jill Levine, principal at Normal Park Museum Magnet School

* Shaun Sadler, retired commanding officer with the United States Marine Corps

* Robert Purifico, president and CEO of We R 3C Inc., a New Jersey nonprofit

* Robert Christensen, retired associate professor at Oklahoma State University

* Bobbie Floyd, leasing consultant at Steeplechase Apartments

* Dwight Mayberry, program director at Mayberry Afterschool Learning Centers

* Yashika Ward, property manager at the Chattanooga Housing Authority

This is the second time the school board has accepted applications for the interim position this year. Five people previously applied in early March, when many expected the school board was going to buy out or fire former Superintendent Rick Smith after three tumultuous months following the rape of an Ooltewah High School freshman, allegedly by three of his basketball teammates.

The school board instead voted 5-4 on March 7 to retain Smith, but Smith stepped down from the helm a week later.

On March 17, the school board reopened the search for an interim superintendent and voted 6-3 to make the only qualification for the position a bachelor's degree - the state's minimum requirement - allowing non-educators a chance at the job. The board also decided an interim can be considered for the long-term superintendent position.

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