News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Putnam County School Board voted unanimously Thursday afternoon to appoint Corby King as the system’s new director of schools.
The decision is pending contract approval.
King will receive a one-year contract, based on the uncertain situation surrounding COVID-19. The contract will expire in June, 2021. The School Board will evaluate King in December.
School Board Member Lynn McHenry made the motion to name King the permanent director, nothing he “feels very strongly” King had done an exceptional job guiding the system through the tornado and COVID-19.
“I can’t imagine the stress, the weight that’s been on you, but I appreciate you much the work you have done,” McHenry said.
The search committee named three finalists including King, JT Stroder, who recently resigned as Superintendent of the Grand County School District in Utah, and Dr. Deborah Nuzzi, Director of Secondary Education for the Battle Creek Schools. Search Committee Chair Eric Brown said the committee was unanimous in sending the three names to the full board.
Citing the pandemic, school board member Jerry Maynard said he did not understand the hurry to make a decision.
“Until we can come in and interview these other two top candidates to see if they are truly the majority of the board’s choice,” Maynard said.
Maynard urged the board to interview the three finalists on its own. No one on the board seconded his motion. He said the board had not followed its policy in filling the position, specifically in wanting five finalists for the school board to consider.
“As the board, the director is still our one employee,” Chair Dr. Dawn Fry said. “If we do this tonight and we see that Mr. King does not continue with the same standard, then we absolutely have the right to go back and ask for applications and do this again.”
