PARKERSBURG - The Wood County Board of Education is turning to the community for help in finding a new superintendent for Wood County Schools.
The board will hold a public meeting Dec. 15 to gather information from community members and groups on what qualities they would most like to see in a new superintendent of schools.
Superintendent Bill Niday will retire at the end of this school year, and the position was posted Wednesday.
The Dec. 15 meeting will be a regular session, but cleared of all but the public discussion portion of the agenda.
"The plan will be kind of like a public hearing, to have people come, fill out cards and speak as to what they would like to see in a superintendent, what important characteristics the new superintendent should have," Niday said.
The event will be held at the board's 13th and Plum Street offices. Spokeswoman Sue Woodward said a limited amount of time will be set aside for each speaker, about three to five minutes each depending on the number of speakers.
School board members are not expected to respond to any of the comments.
"This is not a question-and-answer session," Woodward said. "This is to help the board think through the process, help us brainstorm what we need in a superintendent."
The school board has requested all speakers provide written copies of their statements if possible, which would allow the board to then review those statements later in greater detail.
The district will follow with a citizens forum in January, which will allow finalists for the superintendent's position to answer questions for the public. Some of the issues brought up at the Dec. 15 forum will be used to develop those questions.
If someone is unable to attend the session but still wishes to participate, a written statement can be sent via e-mail to the district at sbuzzard@access.k12.wv.us or mailed to the board's central office.
