The Columbus Municipal School District is moving forward in its search for a new superintendent, with a public meeting scheduled tonight to solicit feedback on the qualities the community would like to see in the city schools” next leader.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at CMSD”s Brandon Central Services office and will be conducted by the Mississippi School Boards Association, which has been hired by the board of trustees to perform the search.
Much like the recent “listening sessions” at Mississippi University for Women — which is looking to hire a new president — attendees will be encouraged to stand at a microphone and briefly state what characteristics and key traits they would like to see in CMSD”s next superintendent. The comments will be recorded and compiled into a list of criteria which MSBA will use to recruit and cull potential candidates.
No time line has been set for the selection process, and MSBA executive director Mike Waldrop said last week that the primary concern is finding the right person for the job.
Dr. Martha Liddell has served as interim superintendent since May, when then-superintendent Dr. Del Phillips announced his intent to resign in June and take a position as director of schools for the Sumner County School District in Gallatin, Tenn.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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