CHESAPEAKE--

Board members of the Chesapeake Union Exempted Village School District came one step closer to finding a new superintendent yesterday afternoon.

During a closed executive session, board members chose nine applicants from 22 who will be called for interviews. They would not disclose the names of any of those nine people because none of them have been contacted yet to determine whether or not they would accept an interview.

The board will conduct the interviews May 23 and May 28.

Carl P. Lilly, board president, said Albert R. Meloy, deputy director of board development of the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA), has been assisting with the search for a superintendent. Meloy was hired because, &uot;It takes out local politics [in choosing a superintendent] to a large degree,&uot; said Lilly.

Meloy did the initial screening of the applicants with two other professionals and will be helping the board members to prepare for the interviews. However, he will not actually interview the candidates. That task is left to the board members.&uot;The board is extremely capable and will not need assistance,&uot; Meloy said. Also, the final decision is left to the board members.

In a press release, board member and search chairperson Thomas Curry said, &uot;The board is extremely excited about the interview process. Our search attracted inquiries from 22 highly qualified educators throughout the Midwest. From that pool we have received solid applications from several highly experienced candidates from eight different states.&uot;

Larry Morgan, president of the Chesapeake Local Teachers Association (CLTA) and a teacher at Chesapeake High School, said Meloy did talk with teachers to find out what they wanted in a superintendent. He also said he believes someone from outside Chesapeake could bring new ideas to the table.

However, with Meloy involved in the process, Morgan said, &uot;I could see a double-edged sword.&uot; He said the board could make a mistake with the candidate it chooses, then say it wasn’t their decision. Morgan added that Meloy’s assistance in this process costs $7,200 plus Meloy’s expenses, for a total of $8,000. But, he said, &uot;As long as the board feels they have the money to fund things locally and this is just extra money, that’s fine.&uot;

After the interviews, Curry added, the board will also conduct reference checks, second interviews, and site visits, if necessary.

Meloy said, &uot;This is just the beginning. As those initial interviews are honed down, additional work needs to be done.&uot; Amelia A. Pridemore/The Ironton Tribune