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Opportunity for input on next superintendent

Special to Atmore News

The Alabama Association of School Boards is assisting the Escambia County Board of Education in its search for a new superintendent. An important part of that is to gather input from the community and employees about what they would like to see in the next superintendent.

AASB has launched an online survey to allow all stakeholders – employees, parents, students, local residents – to share their ideas about the skills the next superintendent will need in order to continue to build on the school system’s success.

The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Escambia21. All survey input is anonymous. It will remain open until June 9.

AASB also will hold a series of input meetings on Monday, June 7, and Tuesday, June 8, for anyone who would prefer to give their input in person rather than online. The meetings will be held at:

* Escambia County High School in Atmore June 7 at 5:30 p.m.

* Flomaton High School in Flomaton June 8 at noon

* W.S. Neal High School in East Brewton June 8 at 5:30 p.m.

Each meeting will last about an hour.

The survey and the meetings will both ask participants:

* What skills and experience should the next superintendent have?

* Should the board look for an experienced superintendent?

* Should the superintendent be hired from within?

* What are the challenges facing the system?

The school system will share this information on its website and Facebook page. It also is emailing it to employees and will share it with the PTA leadership. But AASB and the Escambia County Board of Education hope to get a broad cross section of the community to participate as well.

School board members will be asked not to attend the input meetings. AASB has found that when board members attend this type of meeting, attendees want to talk

about current issues rather than the search. Instead, AASB will present the results of the survey and meetings at a public meeting or work session of the board in June.