CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County school board members on Thursday named Scott Humberd, the system’s supervisor of attendance/technology, as interim schools leader and officially launched the search for a new director.
The vote was 5-0. Humberd replaces Dan Glasscock, who has been serving as “director pro tem” since March 1. In February, board members voted 4-3 to buy out the last 16 months of schools director Johnny McDaniel’s contract.
Glasscock, supervisor for secondary instruction for Bradley County Schools, said he will retire this summer.
Until then, he said, “My commitment now is to work with Mr. Humberd during the interim period with the many year-end tasks that lie ahead of us.”
Before Humberd was chosen, board Chairman Nicholas Lillios’ motion to nominate Glasscock to the interim position died for lack of a second.
Scott Humberd, director of attendance/technology for Bradley County Schools, will serve as interim head of Bradley County Schools.The board also voted 5-0 to adjust Humberd’s base salary to $9,500 per month, which is comparable to McDaniel’s base salary.
According to the buyout agreement, McDaniel will continue to be paid salary and benefits through June 30, 2016, or until he finds comparable employment.
In other business, the board voted 5-0 to hire Wayne Qualls, doing business as Tennessee Education and Management Services Inc., as a consultant to help in the search for a new director of schools.
Qualls, who lives in Centerville, Tenn., is a retired education professional who served as state education commissioner under Gov. Ned Ray McWherter in the mid-1990s.
Qualls’ consulting fee is $6,000 plus travel expenses, according to his proposal. He has offered to arrange a public forum about the search process for an additional $1,000.
Board member Vicki Beaty said hiring a consultant “does not prohibit any person locally from being a part of this process.”
The board also voted 5-0 to approve Chris Turner’s motion that the school system’s attorney draft a contract that included measurable goals for the new schools director.
The contract “should have deliverables,” Turner said.
Board member Rodney Dillard was unavoidably absent, Lillios said, and the District 6 seat is vacant since Christy Critchfield resigned after the McDaniel vote.
Paul Leach is based in Cleveland. Email him at paul.leach.press@gmail.com.
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