The Owensboro Public Schools Board of Education took the first step in finding a new superintendent on Thursday. They largely learned what the process would entail over the coming months and set a timeline, which ends with a goal of naming the next superintendent by April 8.
Anita Burnette is serving as the interim superintendent until a full-time replacement is named. She was named interim in June 2022 after the board started the process of firing former Superintendent Dr. Matthew Constant, who has since been arrested and is facing charges by Kentucky State Police.
On Thursday, board members worked with Quinn Sutton, one of the Kentucky School Board Association’s superintendent search consultants, to learn about and begin the search process.
The job will be posted on the KSBA website Monday once the board finalizes the wording of the ad. The board is still figuring out the criteria they want to be listed, though they agreed to describe the salary as negotiable based on experience rather than providing a specific monetary range.
A screening committee will be formed that includes:
- One board member (appointed by the board chair)
- One principal (elected by district principals)
- Two teachers (elected by district teachers)
- One classified staff (elected by district classified staff)
- One parent (elected by president of school PTOs)
- One minority parent (only if a minority is not already selected in one of the above; elected by all parents)
After applications close, the committee will meet three times to narrow down the candidates and eventually recommend three candidates for the board to interview.
The board chose January 1, 2024, as the application deadline. They’ll then have a joint meeting with the screening committee on January 4. The committee will meet again on January 18 and February 8.
At another joint meeting on February 22, the committee will present its recommendations to the board.
The board plans to complete their interviews by March 22, with the goal of naming a superintendent on or before April 8.
