Five interviewed for top school post

DECATUR — Five candidates were interviewed for the position of superintendent of Decatur Public Schools last Friday.

A committee of four community members - state appointed superintendent LeRoy Ortman, Terry Burden,Ike Owens and Dr. CL Abercrombie - interviewed the candidates, as did two Arkansas Department of Education officials - assistant education commissioners Bill Goff and Beverly Williams,Ortman said.

Ortman said Williams prepared a list of 20 questions to ask the candidates. Local committee members were also given the opportunity to ask their own questions, he said.

Ortman said Williams made an evaluation sheet for each committee member to grade the candidate on their answers. State officials will tally up the results and check the candidates’ references before making a recommendation to commissioner of education Tom Kimbrell, he said.

Kimbrell will make the final choice for superintendent, according to Ortman.

“The thing I think it really boils down to is who’s the best person. That’s a little hard to scope out. I think any one of them can do a credible job,” Ortman said.

Ortman’s contract will end on June 30, and the new superintendent’s contract will begin on July 1. Ortman said ADE officials have told him they hope to make a final decision by mid-May.

A total of nineteen people applied for the job. The applicant pool was narrowed down to a list of five people by a committee of school employees and community members.

The following candidates were interviewed:

◊ Robert Gray of Bull Shoals, the former superintendent at Lead Hill.

◊Geary Brown of Vian, Okla., the superintendent at Panama (Okla.) Schools.

◊Teresa Ragsdale of Monticello, assistant superintendent in the McGehee School District.

◊Larry Ben of Gravette, a teacher/coach and a former administrator in the Rogers School District.

◊Andy Henley of Sedalia, Mo., an adjunct instructor at State Fair Community College in Sedalia and the former superintendent in Smithton.