| Huss no longer considered for Jackson post | | Posted: Friday, December 21, 2012 9:12 pm
| By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Obion County Director of Schools David Huss is not among the candidates moving forward in Jackson-Madison County Schools’ search for a superintendent.
He was eliminated Thursday night during a called meeting of the Jackson-Madison County School Board.
Huss told The Messenger today it “obviously wasn’t a good match” and said from the candidates chosen to proceed, it seems apparent his philosophy doesn’t match the Jackson-Madison County board’s philosophy.
The Jackson-Madison County board voted to invite three candidates — Verna Ruffin of Tulsa (Okla.) Public Schools, Terence Patterson of Hyde Family Foundations in Memphis and Alan Coverstone of Metro Nashville Public Schools — to return for a second round of interviews Jan. 7-9.
Huss had interviewed Wednesday night as a candidate for the superintendent’s position. He told The Messenger he was approached by employees there who asked him to apply.
Huss, who has been Obion County’s director of schools since 2006, had gone through the application process and was not initially in the top six candidates presented to the board to interview for the position. However, four of those candidates withdrew and Huss apparently was called Monday night about 10 minutes prior to a called meeting of the Jackson-Madison County board and asked to interview.
Thursday, six of the nine Jackson-Madison County board members voted to eliminate Huss, with one reportedly stating Huss’ interview concerned him because he read many of his responses.
Huss told The Messenger earlier this week that he and his family love Obion County but he could not ignore the opportunity to interview for the Jackson-Madison County superintendent’s position. He indicated he was not looking to leave and did not intend to quit working for Obion County if not chosen to fill the vacancy.
He reiterated that sentiment today.
“As I stated earlier, I was asked to apply. I did, and I am in no way dissatisfied with my current position,” he said this morning via email. “Over the past few days, my wife and I both have received numerous text messages and emails not wanting us to leave. We are happy here and plan on staying as long as the board will allow.”
Huss was hired in Obion County in mid-2006 while he was working as executive director of Local Education Agencies Support Services with the Tennessee Department of Education.
He was given a year’s extension to his contract in Obion County — making it through June 30, 2016 — earlier this year at the April meeting of the Obion County School Board. The extension came after Huss received a board evaluation of 87.68 percent at the board’s annual retreat in February.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by email at cmenees@ucmessenger.com.com. Published in The Messenger 12.21.12 | | | | |
