In a virtual community town hall, Hamilton County Board of Education chair Tucker McClendon and vice-chair Tiffanie Robinson said the district’s next superintendent should build on the Future Ready 2023 plan and should have some classroom experience.
Robinson, who was on the board during the last superintendent search, said a candidate with some classroom experience would go a long way and that departed Superintendent Bryan Johnson – who worked as a teacher and administrator before the superintendency – served as a great example.
“What I’ve come to learn over the past five years of being on the school board is that actually classroom experience is very important, and it’s all relative,” Robinson said at the Monday forum. “It certainly will elevate the respect that they receive from their employees and the leadership ability they’re able to add to our district.”
McClendon said it depends on how long ago a candidate worked in the classroom and that each candidate’s school leadership experience also played a valuable role.
The top three candidates have all served in leadership roles at their respective districts. Christopher Bernier is chief of staff of Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Jermaine Dawson is chief academic and accountability officer of Birmingham City Schools in Birmingham, Alabama.