Lewis Holloway is Starkville School District’s new superintendent.
The district board of trustees unanimously voted to select Holloway, who has spent the last five years as superintendent of Bulloch County Schools in Georgia.
Holloway will sign a $175,000 contract with Starkville schools. His four-year contract is the maximum allowable under state law, Board Attorney Dolton McAlpin said. Previous Superintendent Judy Couey, who resigned last spring, earned $130,000 per year.
“I think, ultimately, he has lots of experience,” said Board President Keith Coble. “He’s been a superintendent for many years and at different districts. He’s been a superintendent in college towns. Those were some of the most obvious reasons we chose him.”
Holloway has been a superintendent for 26 years, with stops in Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia and Mississippi.
He was one of five semifinalists and three finalists for the job. Holloway and Union Public Schools Superintendent Michael McInnis interviewed in a public forum Monday at Starkville High School.
Coble said Holloway’s public presentation was impressive, though the evaluation sheets stakeholders submitted to the board weren’t unanimous.
“We got a lot of constructive comments,” Coble said. “Ultimately, we talked quite at length about the comments and the things we received.”
Holloway will visit Starkville some time next week, though it’s not clear how long he’ll be in town or if the district will hold a formal introduction for staff members and stakeholders. And while Holloway’s contract will begin July 1, Coble said there’s a chance he could start sooner.
Holloway said two weeks ago that Bulloch’s test scores in grades three, five and eight have gone up in each of his five years. Additionally, Holloway highlighted his strong relationship with the community, which helped three local-option sales tax referendums pass and fund more than $150 million in new school facilities.
Holloway has been a teacher and an administrator at the elementary and high school levels, in addition to his extensive experience as a superintendent.
“Certainly, Dr. Holloway is very oriented towards achievement,” Coble said. “He’s quite aware of the challenges of the Common Core (Curriculum). But one of the things that impressed us was he said he’s going to come into the district and listen. His intent is to come in here and get up to speed before he makes any decisions about direction.”
Holloway is a Columbus native, and his wife, Karen, is a graduate of Mississippi University for Women. Holloway also has relatives in Columbus. Holloway holds a master’s degree from Mississippi State University.
Holloway said Monday that he, his wife and one of his sons will make the move with him back to Mississippi.
“Everyone’s excited, even my son who is working up in Alaska,” Holloway said. “We’ve got a lot of happy family members.”
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