CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – At Tuesday night’s Clarksville-Montgomery County School System School Board meeting, members unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Angela Huff the district’s interim Director of Schools.
Huff will not be applying for the permanent position, leaving the School Board to begin their search for a new permanent director according Anthony Johnson, chief communications officer for CMCSS.
The votes
The board voted unanimously to waive a portion in the district’s contract with current Director Millard House that required him to give a six month notice before cancelling his contract, and permitted him to cancel his contract pending successful negotiations with the Houston Independent School District.
House was named the lone finalist for the superintendent HISD in Houston, Texas at the end of last month.
Board member Charlie Patterson of District X said he was proud that another school district had recognized House’s talent.
“I’ve been contemplating this and sort of leaning on the fence,” Patterson continued. “One side of me says to go ahead and let Mr. House go, to go to your next career step, and another side says ‘Hey, I want to keep you for another six months and that’s selfish on our part.”
“I do wish you the best, and I know that we as CMCSS, I mean we’ve had you for a bargain. I mean really if you look at the total picture we’ve got you as a bargain and we hate to lose you, so I might be voting to keep you another six months,” Patterson continued.
In Houston, it is likely that House will pick up a $350,000 salary. His requests for a salary increase to $230,000 were denied by the Montgomery County Commission.
Then the board began discussions on appointing an interim director, and taking nominations.
Board member Jimmy Garland of District immediately raised his hand, and nominated Huff. She was also recommended to the board by House at last Tuesday’s meeting, and was the only candidate nominated by board members.
Huff did not attend Tuesday’s meeting, and her salary, contract and other questions will be discussed at the June 22 school board study session.
House’s exit timeline
The board members then took their time to again thank House, and comment on his departure.
“A lot of people don’t know what kind of a person he is, or what kind of leader he is, but I do know and I do believe within my heart that Houston is going to get a great leader, someone that is able to get the job done,” Garland said.
Some board members also took time to address on some of the challenges House has faced over the last few months in response to his request for an increase in salary.
“Leadership is so important and you epitomize what a leader is, and I’m sorry that there are those that don’t recognize it or don’t understand it, but you will be missed,” board member Herbert Nelson of District 3 said.
“I just think Houston’s gain is our loss,” board member Carol Berry of District 1 added.
“And we’re so sad that he’s leaving. Some of us are, and those of you that aren’t sad, just think a little bit more of the accomplishments that he made while he was here. I never knew him to discourage anyone,” Berry continued, adding that House was sent to CMCSS by God.
During his director’s report, House gave a transition timeline on his exit from CMCSS.
On June 14, the Houston Independent School District will vote to officially , and House’s last day with CMCSS will be on June 25. He plans to start as superintendent of HISD on July 1.
More on Huff
Huff has been the chief of staff for CMCSS since July of 2018, and before joining CMCSS, she worked as a special projects manager for Williamson County Schools in Franklin.
Huff retired from Georgia in 2016 after a successful 32-year-long career in education. She served in the roles of chief of staff, assistant superintendent, and principal over her 24-year tenure with the Cobb County School District in Marietta, Georgia.
CCSD is the second-largest school district in Georgia and the 25th largest in the nation, serving over 107,000 students.
Before entering administration, she had eight years of teaching experience in Gwinnett County Public Schools, the largest school district in Georgia and the 14th largest in the nation. She earned the honor of Teacher of the Year in 1988.
She earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership from the University of Southern Mississippi, a master’s degree in education from Emory University in Atlanta, and a B.A. in education from Clark College in Atlanta. She has served as an adjunct professor at Trevecca Nazarene University since 2017.