By Amira Perryman
The search for the new superintendent of the Atlanta Public
School System is underway, starting with the appointment of committee members
to the Superintendent Search Committee (SSC) and four days of meetings to
obtain input regarding the profile of the next superintendent from local
concerned stakeholders.
Once the profile criteria are established, the committee will
send it to the Atlanta Board of Education for review and approval. After
approval by the Board of Education, the search committee will use the profile
to attract and recruit potential candidates for the superintendent position.
The committee will also recommend three to five candidates for the Atlanta
Board of Education’s consideration.
Each member of the SSC brings a unique perspective, to the
committee. In addition to the opinions of the committee members, the direct
concerns of the community are also being taken into consideration. All of these
viewpoints will be taken into consideration during the search and selection for
the next superintendent.
The Atlanta Board of Education named Ann Wilson Cramer,
retired director for IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for the
Americas, as chair of the SSC. Cramer has a history of supporting
education through volunteerism, board service and advocacy. She has served as
chair of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE), the Carter
Center Board of Councilors, Communities in Schools-Georgia, and the Georgia
Chamber’s Education Committee. Cramer will preside over the SSC as they go
through the process of determining the district’s next superintendent, a
decision that will impact the children of Atlanta and the future of the city.
The committee members include:
- Mayor Kasim Reed or his designee (Duriya Farooqui, COO, City of Atlanta)
- Parent Organizations Representative – Abby Martin
- The parent groups recommended one person to represent their collective interests as stakeholders organization
- Teacher Organizations Representative - Verdailia Turner
- High School Student Council/Government Representative – Mr. Odessius Fitts, Washington, HS
- Atlanta Council of PTAs Representative – Melissa Hodge-Penn
- Representatives Chosen by Atlanta Board of Education Vote
- Dr. Cynthia Kuhlman, CF Foundation, Inc.
- Board of Directors Drew Charter School, Inc.
- Mr. Ernest Greer, Greenberg Traurig LLP
- Dr. Beverly Tatum, President Spelman College
- Ms. Ann Cramer, Coxe Curry and Associates
- Representatives Chosen by Atlanta Board of Education Chair (the ABE chair has appointed three board members and one ad hoc member)
- Emmett Johnson, At-Large Seat 9
- Cecily Harsch-Kinnane, District 3
- Courtney English, At-Large Seat 7
- William “Bill” Rogers, CEO SunTrust Bank
If you were unable to attend one of the meetings there is a
survey online open to any stakeholder wishing to express their opinion
regarding the search for the new superintendent. The survey only has six questions
and should not take more than five minutes to fill out.
