School Officials Seek Public Input For Next Leader

The search for a new superintendent of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools is underway, and district leaders want public input. This comes as some community groups are pushing for changes to include more equity and diversity in schools.

A local group known as the Coalition For Equity in Public Education recently sent a list of criteria it wants the school board to use during the search process. Among them is having experience in creating equity in the classroom and turning around low-performing schools.

Brent Campbell, a spokesman for the district, says several community forums and an online survey are being used to gather feedback from stakeholders.

“We have certain areas of the county that are growing and others that are not as much. We are also a district of choice, so what does that look like as the demographics of the entire community changes? So, there are lots of things that this new leader will have to consider and work on, and I think that's the point of some of these community forums,” says Campbell.

The public input meetings will begin this week.

The new leader of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools will replace Beverly Emory, who resigned this year to take a job with the State Department of Public Instruction. Kenneth Simington is serving as interim superintendent.

The district has hired the North Carolina School Board Association to assist in the search. Campbell says the school system expects to announce the new superintendent in early September.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news