Sherry Fisher speaks during a Vicksburg Warren School District public hearing Monday night at Warren Central High School. (The Vicksburg Post/PAT SHANNAHAN)

[01/30/01] Nearly 250 parents, teachers and others learned more about how the search for a superintendent is going for the Vicksburg Warren School District Monday night.

Dr. Andy Mullins, one of the consultants from the University of Mississippi hired by school trustees to assist in the search, answered questions and took public comments ranging from accountability to communication as well as a couple of votes for keeping interim Superintendent Donald Oakes.

“Mr. Donald Oakes fills every recommendation very admirably,” said Ricky Mitchell, a parent.

Since Oct. 1, 1999, Oakes, a veteran local school leader, has served as interim superintendent of the district and is to serve until this summer when a new superintendent is expected to be hired. He accepted the temporary position after the retirement of Robert Pickett that year and has said he will apply for the job on a permanent basis.

One concern expressed at the hearing at Warren Central High School was that the consultants who were hired to recruit, conduct initial interviews and make recommendations to the school board, were not provided the district’s strategic plan when creating a brochure designed to entice applicants.

“If you as the consultants do not have a copy of the plan, then you may be overlooking some great candidates,” said Winky Freeman, also a parent and the husband of a school teacher. “We need a person who will work with that plan.”

The plan, adopted on a split vote in 1999, increases the role of teachers and parents in district operations and includes goals and measures for accountability. Repeatedly, it has been said that the elected trustees need to take the plan seriously.

Mullins said the consultants had talked about the district’s five-year plan for the schools with the trustees, but that they did not have a copy. School board president Zelmarine Murphy said after the meeting that a copy would be given to Mullins before he left for Jackson.

“I do not know why,” they did not have the plan, Murphy said. “They were made available.”

The brochure prepared by the consultants was made available to the public for the first time at the meeting. The pamphlet includes statistics about the school district, the qualifications for the school superintendent, information about the area and a tentative timetable.

“As part of the search process we would like to get input about your perceptions of the district as well as what you think about the superintendent search,” Mullins said.

The application deadline for the head position of the 9,400-student district is Feb. 16. The names of all applicants are being kept confidential until five finalists are named in the search process. The interview process to identify finalists is to start around Feb. 26.

The finalists will be interviewed by the school board beginning March 16, and then it will be up to the board to choose the new superintendent.

Jean Sanders, whose two children start kindergarten soon, said the outcome of the search will determine if her children will attend the public or private school system.

“This superintendent search is very important to me,” Sanders said.

Linda Thomas said she wants a superintendent who will hold people responsible for their actions regardless of their race or who they know.

“There was $1 million worth of damage to Vicksburg High School and no one was ever held accountable,” Thomas said. The reference was to an arson fire in 1998.

The new superintendent is expected to start July 1.

Formed in 1986, the district combined formerly separate city and county districts. Including Oakes, there have been four superintendents.