| David Huss a finalist for Wilson County post | | Posted: Monday, April 15, 2013 9:02 pm
| By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
Obion County Director of Schools David Huss is one of four finalists for the director of schools position in Wilson County.
The four candidates were selected by a search recruiter from 35 applicants. They will be interviewed Saturday by the Wilson County School Board; from there, two will be chosen for another interview April 27.
The other three finalists have been identified as Dennis Albright, superin-tendent of schools in Braxton County, W. Va.; Timothy Setterlund, assis-tant superintendent of Shelby County Schools; and Donna Wright, assistant superintendent of Wil-liamson County Schools.
The Tennessean reported in its Friday edition that the Wilson County School Board could vote as soon as its May 6 board meeting on the final candidate, who would fill the position being vacated July 1 by current director Mike Davis.
The Wilson County School District, based in Lebanon, serves about 15,750 students in prekindergarten through adult education.
According to its website, 12 elementary schools, two middle schools, four high schools, one adult high school, one alternative school and an adult basic education program comprise its 21 sites.
Huss — who has been the Obion County School System’s director of schools since 2006 — told The Messenger he was contacted about the Wilson County position. He applied and has since been notified he is among the finalists.
“At this point, I’m going to go (to the interview) and see what it’s all about and just go from there,” he said this morning.
Huss said he doesn’t know what to expect and hasn’t met any of the board members, but he said he has done some professional development in Wilson County in the past and has worked with some of the staff.
He had interviewed in December as a candidate for Jackson-Madison County Schools’ search for a superintendent, but he was not among the finalists chosen to advance there. He said since then, he has received calls and been asked to apply for some other positions, some of which have simply been too far away in regard to relocating his family. He said Wilson County is the first which is not “drastically far away.”
Huss said he has been given the impression recently that some members of the Obion County School Board feel it is time for him to go.
“I just get the feeling from some of the board members that I’m no longer wanted here — not all the board members, not even the majority,” he said. “I do think there are some who want to hire their own director.”
Huss was given a year’s extension to his contract in Obion County — making it through June 30, 2016 — at the April 2012 meeting of the Obion County School Board. The extension came after he received a board evaluation of 87.68 percent at the board’s annual retreat last year.
This year, Huss received an evaluation of 79.92 percent. As part of his employment contract, upon receipt of a satisfactory annual evaluation, the school board may grant a pay raise and/or a contract extension.
At its April 8 meeting, the Obion County School Board voted to table action on Huss’ contract until its May 6 meeting in the hope that all seven board members can be present for the discussion. Board members discussed the matter at their recent orientation session but apparently haven’t yet agreed upon a recommendation.
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. Prior to that, he worked as director of schools for the South Carroll County Special School District from July 1999 to September 2003.
He also worked in the past as a fiscal consultant with the Tennessee Department of Education, director of finance for the McKenzie Special School District and as a legislative auditor for the state comptroller’s office.
Since coming to Obion County, Huss has earned a law degree. He serves as an adjunct professor at Dyersburg State Community College, teaching business law classes, and has a law office at his home, where he wrote a book on school finance and does professional development for different school systems.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by email at cmenees@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 4.15.13 | | | | |
