Clay To Begin Search For Monroe Replacement

The Clay County Board of Education will begin its search for a new director after Director of Schools Diana Monroe announced her retirement.

School Board Chairman Benji Bailey said the board will begin the search for a new director by advertising the position. Bailey said they will advertise statewide and across the Upper Cumberland to fill Monroe’s post.

“Our goal has always been if needed to narrow the list of candidates in which we received applications from,” Bailey said. “We can do that in November and then begin conducting interviews as early as December.”

Bailey said with Monroe not retiring till February it gives the board some wiggle room on time to fill the position. Bailey said the board will have to be mindful of when they schedule interviews in December because if the school were to offer a contract, the school board would have to then advertise it for 15 days.

“We would need to advertise for that accordingly,” Bailey said. “But we could determine that at our November 14th regular meeting depending on the applications we receive and that’s the way we have done it traditionally.”

Monroe agreed that in the event the board struggles to find a new director she would be willing to serve until the end of March.

“The way I understand it you got to apply for the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System is four months out,” Monroe said. “I have not done that yet, I mean if you want me to wait till March 31st if that’s what you are asking me to do I will be happy to do that.”