"This may be the most important decision we ever make."

Those were the words of Ironton School Board Vice President Robert Pleasant as the school board sat down last night to start the process of finding a new superintendent.

The Ironton City Board of Education established a timetable for finding a new school superintendent, agreed on some basic qualifications for prospective applicants and agreed to immediately place advertisements for the position in a variety of media

and professional outlets.

The position will be advertised this week in The Ironton Tribune as well as newspapers in Ashland, Ky., and Huntington, W.Va. Advertisements will also be sent to school superintendents throughout the state, will be placed in Ohio Department of Education job listings and will be sent to the Ohio School Boards Association for inclusion in that body’s magazine.

The deadline for sending in an application is Feb. 21. This gives prospective applicants a little more than two weeks to submit a resume for consideration. It also allows applicants enough time to notify their current school boards of their intentions by the required March 1 deadline.

The successful candidate should be in place by June 1.

Board

President Teresa Parker said if all members of the board agree, perhaps some local candidates may be scheduled for an interview immediately after the board receives their resume.

"Is there any legal reason that would keep us from doing that?" Parker asked.

With members Kathy McGinnis and Gary Neal absent, Parker, Pleasant and board member Steve Harvey agreed on several qualifications for the position.

While the next superintendent will not have to have a doctorate's degree, he or she must have an Ohio Superintendent's Certification.

"It is the board's desire that the new superintendent have expertise in communication, long- and short-range planning, negotiations, school law and school finance and curriculum development," stated a rough draft of an advertisement

brochure the board approved for distribution last night. That brochure was designed by outgoing superintendent Stephen Kingery. "Demonstrated success in these areas will be carefully considered. The new superintendent will address various issues such as proficiency test scores and upgrading of facilities."

He or she must also be a "dynamic leader who will be visible in the school buildings and community … and a strong manager who will motivate staff and students and work well with the board," according to the brochure.

The board tabled discussion of who else besides the school board may be included in the negotiations process. That matter will be address at the board's next meeting Feb. 20 at Whitwell Elementary.

Pleasant had asked if staff and faculty would be represented in these interviews, but agreed with Parker and Harvey to wait until McGinnis and Neal could be present to discuss the issue.

Last week, Kingery handed in his resignation as superintendent, effective at the end of the school year. Kingery has been at the helm of the city school district since June 1999.