The Haywood County School Board is in the midst of trying to hire a new superintendent. It’s an important task, and so far those leading the search have taken some admirable steps to get this effort off the ground in reassuring fashion. That should give parents and staff confidence that the process will end with the school system getting a capable and competent leader.

Superintendent Bill Upton announced his resignation last fall, agreeing to work until the end of March 2005. Retiring with Upton will be long-time finance officer and assistant superintendent Bill McCracken. Upton helped the school board by giving it plenty of time to search for his replacement.

While the active search is just getting started, School Board Chairman Chuck Francis and Vice Chairman Johnny have taken the unusual step of writing a letter that asks for public input (see letter on facing page). Specifically, the board has asked for those who have an opinion on what characteristics are needed in a new superintendent to put their thoughts in writing and send them to a school board member.

Taking this action could put the school board in a quandary. What if the great majority of voters have a different opinion than school board members? If that happens, these elected officials will find themselves at odds with those who have chosen them, forcing them to either choose according to their conscience or according to the opinions of those who put them in office. That’s a tough philosophical choice for elected leaders.

The other side of the coin, though, is that thoughtful elected leaders reach out to the public before important decisions are made. Elected leaders often do the opposite, insulting constituents by holding a public hearing on a budget or some important new ordinance only a few moments before voting for the same measure. Such votes only solidify the charge that some elected leaders don’t really want to be bothered by public opinion. In this case the board is asking for public opinion very early in the process.

Another step taken by Francis is to publicly state that he hopes to be able to promote from within. In other words, the board plans to hire the most qualified applicant, but hopefully that candidate will emerge from those already working in the school system. This says to teachers, principals and other administrators that loyalty is appreciated and will be taken into consideration when the opportunity for advancement arises. That’s one of the best ways to encourage ambitious, bright employees to stay in the system and to attract qualified applicants for future openings.

In the last few days, the regional daily and the local Haywood County paper have published articles quoting school officials as saying Associate Superintendent Anne Garrett is the leading candidate to replace Upton. Garrett’s sharp mind and stellar credentials would certainly make her a qualified superintendent. She has the trust and admiration of teachers, the confidence of most parents and an intimate knowledge of this system and its needs.

Perhaps this will be one of those rare and memorable hirings by an elected body when the process is carried out correctly and the result is the hiring of exactly the right person. That’s exactly what students, parents and faculty deserve.