The Cumberland County Board of Education is moving forward with the director of schools search. The board is scheduled to hold an open interview with both candidates Monday, June 16. The board may have a decision on the director by Thursday, June 19 at the board meeting.
Out of eight candidates, the Tennessee School Boards Association recommended both Interim Director of Schools Dr. Rebecca Farley and Dr. Randy Shannon to the Cumberland County Board of Education for the open position.
Both candidates were chosen out of several applications sent in from around the United States. The eight applicants were Michelle Barnett, Kenyon Barron, Daniel Brigman, Charles Chauncy, Rebecca Farley, Laurie Fiorenza, Tameka Lewis and Randy Shannon. TSBA did not provide additional information on the other applicants.
At the June 12 board work session, the board voted to proceed with the TSBA interview process with the two candidates.
TSBA created a proposed schedule based on the timeline the board requested. The board requested a plan to have a new director in place by July 1.
In the packet TSBA provided to the board, the association suggested making an entire day of the interview process to allow the community to interact with and meet the candidates.
The board said it would be in the best interest of the community’s time to modify the schedule.
Central Services will host a round-robin of meetings between the community and the two candidates. The two candidates will have an opportunity to present to the groups and offer a time for the community to ask questions. These meetings will be conducted from 2-3 p.m. in the Central Services building at 368 Fourth St. in Crossville.
Following the meetings with the community, the board of education will convene at 3:30 p.m. to discuss, based on board member attendance, which board members will ask which questions during the interview process.
To practice fairness, the board has been advised by TSBA to be consistent and fair by asking each candidate all the same questions. The interviews are open to the public; however, only board members are allowed to ask the candidates questions.
Each interview will last one hour. The board will first interview with Shannon at 4 p.m. Then the board will interview Farley at 5 p.m. At the end of each interview, the board will offer each of the candidates the chance to ask questions.
Shannon is currently serving as a supervisor of College and Career Readiness and CTE director, an attorney-at-law, and a Rule 31 Listed General Civil and Family mediator.
“I am a highly motivated, detail-oriented, and skilled Attorney-at-Law, adjunct professor, and career educator with over twenty years of experience in educational administration and theoretical instruction in higher education,” according to Shannon’s résumé. “My capacity to collaborate with colleagues has been a crucial factor in my success in all endeavors.”
Farley is serving as the interim director of schools and as the chief academic officer for Cumberland County Schools.
“I am a PreK-12 educational leader that possesses strong skills in strategic planning, curriculum development, data analysis, effective communication and fosters collaborative relationships driving student success and ensuring a positive learning environment across all grade levels,” according to Farley’s résumé.
This is a developing story. Visit www.crossville-chronicle.com and see an upcoming issue of the Chronicle for more information.