CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Four finalists have been named in the search a permanent Clarksville-Montgomery County director of schools, including current interim director Angela Huff.
The Tennessee School Board Association, the agency retained by the CMCSS School Board in November to vet applicants and compile a list of finalists, presented the names of the four Tuesday evening.
The candidates
Ben Torres, assistant executive director and general counsel for TSBA, presented the recommendations, including two who are currently employed with the school system.
Basic information about each of the candidates was provided. According to Torres, all candidates possess a doctorate degree.
Mason Bellamy, the chief of academics and schools at Metro Nashville Public Schools. Prior to that, he worked with CMCSS in several roles. He was the director of high schools, director of elementary schools and director of services for exceptional students. Bellamy also has experience as a principal, assistant principal and teacher.
Angela Huff, the interim director of schools for CMCSS. Before her appointment to the interim position, she served as the district’s chief of staff. Huff previously served as the special projects manager at Williamson County Schools, and 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.
Sean Impeartrice, the district’s chief academic officer. Prior to that role, he was the secondary special education coordinator for the district. He was once CMCSS’ director of middle schools, and also served in the role of principal, assistant principal and teacher.
Jean Luna-Vedder, chief of student readiness with the Tennessee Department of Education. Prior to that, Luna-Vedder was with the district for 12 years. She was CMCSS’ director of high schools and also has experience as a principal, assistant principal and teacher.
Tammy Grissom, executive director of the TSBA, told Clarksville Now the School Board will determine next steps. First, they have to accept the four candidates as their finalists, which will happen in a vote at the April 19 meeting.
“That’s the next process; they’ll accept the candidates and then they’ll call them and set the interview up for each of those candidates, and then they’ll go from there,” Grissom said.
According to the timeline from TSBA provided on CMCSS’ website, a new director of schools will be appointed in May.
TSBA’s process
The process officially kicked off in October with the board considering four firms to conduct the search.
The School Board briefly considered conducting the search internally, but after board member Joshua Baggett voiced concerns about potential conflicts of interest with district employees vetting their new boss, the board returned to considering an external agency.
TSBA was the less expensive option, and the board voted unanimously in November to retain them with a $11,500 contract.
In January, TSBA conducted six meetings, in which CMCSS families, teachers, administrators and local elected officials were able to share input on what characteristics and qualifications the potential director of schools should have. From that input, a list of 10 criteria was developed.
Grissom returned to the School Board in February and told the board there were several common themes among the comments gathered.
Stakeholders agreed that potential candidates should live in Montgomery County, have classroom experience, be good listener and good communicator, according to the search firm’s interim report.
Through a motion made by board member Kent Griffy, the CMCSS School Board added one criteria – that a candidate “has the ability to develop and encourage employee morale and good moral character” – and required all candidates to have a master’s degree at a minimum.
The criteria was then accepted, and TSBA narrowed its search to the four candidates.
Huff in the running
After Millard House resigned from his position as CMCSS’ director of schools last summer to take a superintendent position in Houston, Texas, the board unanimously appointed House’s then-chief of staff Angela Huff to serve as interim director.
When she was appointed to the position, Huff said she had no intention on seeking the permanent job so that the School Board would have flexibility in their search for a permanent director.
Anthony Johnson, the district’s chief communications officer, said while he’s not able to speak on behalf of Huff as a candidate applying for a job, he did say that her mind had changed.
“From my understanding and having worked with her, being in the work and the challenges of it but also the joys, I think that was a factor,” Johnson told Clarksville Now, in addition to internal and external support for Huff to continue serving in the director capacity.