44 Apply For New Broward Schools Superintendent Job
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4)- Forty-four applicants applied for the job to become Broward County's next schools superintendent.
On Wednesday, the district released their names and applications. School district officials started the search for a new chief after the June resignation of Superintendent Jim Notter.
With the start of the new school year just days away, a slimmed down Broward School Board said they hope to have a decision on the superintendent's position by the end of September.
Among the South Florida candidates is Art Johnson, former superintendent of the Palm Beach County school district, who was fired this year; Felipe Noguera, former chief communications officer for the Miami-Dade school district; Harry LaCava a former area director for the Broward school district; and Bernard Osborn, principal of the David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Center in North Miami.
According to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald, the search process, which is being managed by private consulting firm Ray & Associates, also netted candidates from Hawaii, Michigan and South Carolina. The firm plans to screen the candidates and give the board a proposed list of semi-finalists by Aug. 29. After several rounds of interviews, the School Board is expected to make its choice by Sept. 14.
Until then, Donnie Carter will continue serving as the interim superintendent.
Late last week, new board member Dave Thomas and veteran member Jennifer Gottlieb both announced they were stepping down to spend more time with family.
Notter said he too was leaving for family reasons. His departure came on the heels of a scathing Grand Jury report which criticized the district for wasteful spending, mismanagement and corruption.
As for the next Superintendent, many who keep track of the district's actions have their own wish list.
"Somebody that will be able to work with the community, work with the parents, and it's all about the children. Somebody that we there, that is all about kids," said Renee Grutman with the PTA.
"Desperately needs to be an outsider, somebody with heavy business experience running a corporation because this is a major corporation. As far as the education side of the house, you can have a deputy for education and this district will do just fine," said community activist Charlotte Greenbarg.
Tuesday was the deadline for submitting applications. The board will then go through the candidates and narrow it down to a 'short list'; the formal interviews will then take place.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)
