Search Begins Following Clay Director Of Schools Announcing Retirement

The Clay County Board of Education’s search for a new director of schools will start immediately.

Director of Schools Matt Eldridge announced his retirement Thursday night, effectively leaving December 31, 2021. Board Chariman Benji Bailey said the board has options for how they want to pursue a new director.

“That’s up to the board how we want to proceed with that,” Bailey said. “I envision that we would do that in-house, do it our self, as we’ve done in the past. Otherwise we would have to pay someone.”

The board agreed on Bailey’s proposal, the position will be advertised by the Tennessee School Boards Association and locally. Bailey said applicants will be reviewed in October then interviewed in November.

Bailey said it will be fine if community members submit questions to be asked during the interviews. However, he said that is the only way they can give input once the process begins in-person.

“The board members are the only ones to be able to interview and ask questions,” Bailey said. “There will be no questions coming from the audience in the meeting.

He said that if the process moves quickly, the new director of schools could get some time shadowing Eldridge before he leaves.