huntsville city schools candidates.jpg

The five finalists for Huntsville City Schools superintendent, in alphabetical order, are from left, Dr. Matthew Akin, Dr. Katrise Perera, Dr. Verna Ruffin, Dr. Sandra Spivey, and Dr. Robyne Thompson. (Courtesy)

The Huntsville school board now has five finalists in its search to replace former superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski, who resigned as superintendent in September.

After a more than two-month search conducted by the Alabama Association of School Boards, the finalists were revealed Thursday evening at a special called board meeting. The board will conduct interviews Jan. 17-23, and plans to name a new superintendent on Jan. 30.

The finalists:

Dr. Matthew Akin, superintendent of Piedmont City Schools in Piedmont, Alabama

Dr. Agnella Katrise Perera, national director of urban markets at McGraw Hill Education in Humble, Texas

Dr. Verna Ruffin, superintendent at Jackson-Madison County Schools in Jackson, Tenn.

Dr. Sandra W. Spivey, superintendent at Scottsboro City Schools in Scottsboro, Ala.

Dr. Robyne Thompson, superintendent at East Lansing Public Schools in Clinton Township, Mich.

Each of the five finalists have extensive public school backgrounds. None are non-traditional candidates, like Wardynksi was, without direct experience as an educator.

"Not only (have the finalists been) superintendents, they've all been principals and they've all been teachers," said Huntsville school board president Elisa Ferrell. "A lot of them have digital experience and that's where we are here in Huntsville so that's also good."

Ferrell said she is confident the school board - which has in the past had terse exchanges at meetings - will be able to work together to pick a superintendent.

"I don't know if there's a bad choice in the bunch," she said of the finalists. "I think that we'll be able to come together and find someone that we like."

Each finalist will meet with the school board for a full 12-hour day with interviews, meetings, tours and public engagement events.

Huntsville residents and employees of Huntsville City Schools are invited to submit feedback on the finalists via a form on the district website, www.huntsvillecityschools.org.

During his presentation at the board meeting, Dr. Terry Jenkins of AASB said the finalists represent one of the strongest pools of superintendent candidates he has seen.

The school board had requested a national search for the superintendent position, which subsequently drew 70 candidates from 24 states - the largest pool Jenkins has seen in his tenure at AASB. Twenty-one of the candidates were from Alabama. Of those applicants, 47 completed all of the necessary paperwork to be considered.

Two of the candidates dropped out this week.

"One of them stated that based on research that they had done into the school system here, and social media and other things they encountered, they did not want to subject their family to that and withdrew," said Jenkins.

He said longevity has been a problem with superintendents in Alabama, where the average superintendent stay is 3.4 years.

"You work hard laying out a 10 or a 15-year plan, and then you change superintendents every three years, and you end up going back to square one, starting all over again," said Jenkins. "That's part of what hinders (Alabama school districts) from making the progress we should be making, because of the constant startover.

"Hopefully this will be a long marriage. Time will tell."

Additional finalist information

Dr. Matthew Akin

Superintendent, Piedmont City Schools, Ala., 2003-Current

High School Principal, Piedmont City Schools, 2000-2003

Coordinator of Administrative Services, Piedmont City Schools, 1999-2002

-One of the longest-serving superintendents in the state

-Named one of 13 National Leaders to Learn From by Education Week magazine in 2016

- 2016 Superintendent of the Year, named by the Alabama Community Education Association

-One of 100 superintendents nationwide recognized for exemplary leadership in digial learning by the White House Office of Education Technology

-Calhoun County Citizen of the Year 2014, Anniston Star newspaper

Dr. Agnella Katrise Perera

National Director of Urban Markets, McGraw Hill Education 2015-Current

Superintendent, Isle of Wight County Schools, Va., 2011-2015

Area Superintendent, Houston Independent School District, Texas, 2010-2011

Deputy Superintendent and Principal, Henrico County Public Schools, Va., 2004-2011

Assistant Principal, Henrico County Public Schools, 2001-2004

Teacher, Henrico County Public Schools, Charlottesville City, Va., 1994-2001

- 2015 National Superintendent of the Year

- Vice President of National Association of School Superintendents

Dr. Verna D. Ruffin

Superintendent, Jackson-Madison County Schools, Tenn., 2013-Current

Area/Assistant Superintendent, Tulsa Public Schools, Okla., 2007-2013

Principal/Director, Judson Independent School District, Texas 2001-2007

Band Director, Assistant Principal, Principal, Lafayette Parish Schools, La., 1975-2001

- Outstanding Educator Award from Lousianna Association of School Executives

Dr. Sandra W. Spivey

Superintendent, Scottsboro City Board of Education, Ala., 2015-Current

Regional Support Coordinator, Alabama State Department of Education, 2014-2014

Director of Secondary Education, Madison County Schools, Ala., 2007-2014

Adjunct Professor, Samford University, Ala., 2008-2014

Principal, Hoover City Schools, Ala., 2005-2006

Principal, High School, Alexander City Schools, Ala., 2003-2005

Principal, Middle School, Alexander City Schools, 2002-2003

Assistant Principal, Alexander City Schools, 1998-2002

Teacher and Coach, Alexander City Schools, 1991-1998

Dr. Robyne Thompson

Superintendent, East Lansing Public Schools, Mich., 2014-Current

Assistant Superintendent, Ann Arbor Public Schools, Mich., 2012-2014

Principal, Utica Community Schools, Mich., 2004-2012

Assistant Principal, Utica Community Schools, Mich., 2000-2004

Principal, Mount Clemens Junior Academy, Mich., 1997-2000