Sept. 17, 2004

A 10-member screening committee has completed its task of evaluating and checking references on 14 applications for superintendent of Hartselle City Schools and Dr. Mike Reed is ranked second on the list.

That is the report from The Hartselle Enquirer, a sister paper of The Greenville Advocate.

The committee ranked the candidates for the job and the results were given to the school board on Monday, according to committee chairman, Ronnie Abercrombie.

Janet Irons Harris, the top-ranked candidate, is a principal in the Huntsville city school system. Candidates from within the Hartselle school system are ranked third and 13th, respectively.

Committee members reviewed 14 application packages and assigned scores based on criteria they had previously adopted, according to Frank Parker, chairman.

The individual scores were combined to come up with the numerical ranking. Finally, references on each application were checked for accuracy by at least three committee members. Written reports on their findings were due in Parker’s hands not later than last Friday.

Abercrombie said the committee will formally present its ranked candidate list to the school board on Thursday evening along with an explanation of how the scores were determined.

Although the committee’s work ended Nov. 15, it may be asked to join the board in a work session after that date, Abercrombie stated.

&uot;When the committee was formed some of its members asked for the opportunity to submit questions which they’d like to be used in the interview phase,&uot; he said. &uot;I think that’s a good idea. It would help for all of us to get together and go over the questions and make sure we’re all on the same page before interviews start.&uot;

Abercrombie said he anticipates that the board will begin the interview phase around the first of December and complete it before the school system’s Christmas break. The interviews are expected to last about two hours and will be limited to one per evening. They will be open to the public.

Butler County School Board president Joanne Peak was contacted for comment on Reed’s job search and she declined to comment at this time.

Reed has been in the school system five years and is retired from a school system in Mississippi.

His base salary in Butler County is $97,000.