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Board interviews five more for top spot

By Lynn Hotaling
Local school officials Monday (Oct. 30) interviewed five more candidates for superintendent, but reached no decision on a replacement for retiring Superintendent Frank Burrell.

Monday's applicants were the third set of candidates interviewed by Jackson County's school board. No information was available on the identity of any of the Oct. 30 interviewees.

Board members were "pleased" with Monday's interviews, said Chairman Martha Queen. Two of Monday's candidates will be re-interviewed when the school board reconvenes Nov. 6. The school system will pay travel expenses for the candidates' second interviews; candidates paid their own expenses for the first.

"We have some really good candidates right now," Queen said, though she declined to speculate as to whether a superintendent will be chosen Nov. 6.

Gary Steppe, superintendent of Cherokee County schools, declined the job earlier this month, prompting the board to hold more interviews. Three local administrators - Arlin Middleton, Sue Nations and Lib Balcerek - were among six candidates interviewed in August.

The position was re-advertised in September, and more than 20 new candidates applied. Steppe was among the first group interviewed from the second set of applicants; the five interviewed Monday were also from the second round of applicants.

Back to Archive: 11/02/00.