Pinellas to search nationally to replace Wilcox

In a workshop that ended minutes ago, the Pinellas School Board informally agreed to conduct a national search to replace outgoing superintendent Clayton Wilcox as soon as possible. The goal is to have a new superintendent in place by Aug. 13 when teachers return from summer break, but board members said that was not a hard deadline.

The board also said it wanted to hire an interim superintendent before Wilcox leaves in early June. But board members could not agree on whether the interim should be allowed to apply for the permanent job. Among the considerations: Some board members feared that if the interim turned out to be one of Wilcox's deputies, many outside candidates would hesitate to apply, thinking the interim had a leg up in the process.

Board members agreed to discuss the issue in the next few days with Wayne Blanton, executive director of the Florida School Boards Association. The board tentatively agreed to hire the association to conduct the national search.

The board quickly dispensed with the issue of whether to waive a requirement that Wilcox give the board five months' notice. Board members unanimously agreed to allow him to leave by early June, after graduation week.

Comments

may wilcox rot in hell

Great idea...get advice from another "empty suit".

So we will spend lots of money on a national search, while the district is having it's first deficit in almost 40 years. Makes sense to me!!!

I find it hard to believe they cannot find a suitable candidate w/i the county.

[Jim]

Yes, it would be nice if they hired someone within the County that had a vested interest in the community and the well being of the kids.

[retired]

Is Dr. Wilcox paying for the search? His contract says that if he leaves before June 30, 2008, he will pay back the $60K spent on his search.

Hey retired,

Bostock and Gallucci saw fit to remove the $60,000 payback provision when they handed him a big raise and a rolling contract!

Can you imagine the two of them when they go to the county commission, which btw needs an Administrator.

They can hire ANOTHER tricky dick to run the county government.

At least the 65% of the citizens without kids in the public school system were safe until now. Now they'll ride the wave to the commish and see to it that the rest of Pinellas' citizens feel the pain.

Once that happens, you'll be begging to bring back water boarding!

[Tiffany]

As long as Blanton is in charge of the search, the district will only get same old, same old. Blanton is so status quo that he will only allow people who have served as deputy superintendents to apply. Get over it, Wayne! The days of being "superintendent in waiting" should be long gone. There are fresh and non-conventional educational leaders in this state who are underappreciated and who could serve us well in Pinellas. Too bad Yecke is leaving. Are there any more like her?

[teacher in Hillsborough]

Take MaryEllen Elia off our hands!!!!!!!!!! Or maybe she will run off to work for SpringBoard, sort of like what Wilcox did. We are in in the same sort of boat.

[Pinellas Mom]

I prefer a national search. We don't need the good old boy network back in force. Quality candidates please. I also feel the Largo hierarchy dislikes neighborhood schools. I think it is one of the things they fought w/ Wilcox about. Wilcox may have been tough to get along with but he did give us neighborhood schools. That's what most parents want in Pinellas. Less buses, more uniform start times and predictability. Please no more "brave new ideas" in social experimentation (bus by income etc...). That's what I fear will happen if an internal candidate gets it.

[mary]

I recommend Ron Stone as the interim. He is in DROP and will be leaving anyway. He knows the interworkings of the district well. This would leave the opportunity for the deputies to apply. Ron would be excellent at transitioning a new superintendent.

[Parent]

Why is there not a penalty claus in the Wilcox contract, for breaking it? This is standard contract law. He should have to pay the monies required to replace his position.
Why not let go of Dennis Jock from PTEC a new Wilcox hire who is stirring up a lot of trouble at the tech center, his position would pay to find a new super. Don't take the money from the students, for another school board mistake.