Board decides to hire firm to hunt new NLR superintendent

The North Little Rock School Board voted 6-1 Tuesday to use an outside firm to find a new superintendent for the 8,000-student school district.

The School Board met for the second time in two days and discussed various topics, including potential search firms that can find a new superintendent.

Board President Dorothy Williams asked board members for their opinions on several potential search firms before deciding to gather more information for the next board meeting.

Tracy Steele suggested that the school district’s human resources department find the district’s new superintendent. He said doing the search in house could potentially save the district money and time.

“The last time we did this, we spent the time and money and hired someone in North Little Rock,” he said. “I have full confidence in our HR department.”

Board member Natalie Wankum said a search firm was needed because Jacob Smith, executive director of Human Resources for the school district, is “swamped” with other duties at the moment.

Williams agreed with the need for a firm, noting that previously doing the search in-house was taxing on the staff and hurt a lot of feelings.

Board member Rochelle Redus declined to suggest a search firm, saying she felt that the School Board wasn’t ready to do a search, but she agreed that an outside firm was needed.

“The board is in disarray,” she said. “We need an outside firm right now.”

The School Board voted 7-0 Monday to appoint Keith McGee interim superintendent of the district, effective immediately.

McGee, who has a doctorate in education, has served as assistant superintendent and director of secondary education for the district since December. He previously was principal at Horace Mann Magnet Middle School in the Little Rock School District.

The board approved McGee’s hiring and the terms of his contract during a special meeting that was conducted via a videoconferencing system.

McGee’s hiring comes after the board voted 4-3 on April 23 to immediately terminate the contract of Superintendent Bobby Acklin, who initially served as interim superintendent before becoming the district’s full-time superintendent in July 2018.

In January the board evaluated Acklin’s job performance and voted to extend his contract — which was set to expire June 30, 2020 — to June 30, 2021.

The School Board also was informed Tuesday that the school district had avoided the need for a reduction in force because of natural attrition among its staff.

A reduction in force is conducted when the need for a reduction in the workforce exceeds the normal rate of attrition for the portion of the staff that is in excess of the needs of the district. The decision is made by the superintendent, according to a presentation Smith sent to the board last month.

Smith said letters had been sent to 14 assistant principals whose jobs might have been included as part of the reduction-of-force process. He said the assistant principals have been notified about the change in procedure.

The positions that are open because of attrition will be absorbed and won’t be filled with new staff members, Smith said.