Hoover Superintendent finalist Kathy Murphy says she is a 'visionary leader, a servant leader'
At 5 foot 1, Dr. Kathy Murphy doesn’t look like your typical, intimidating school system chief.
But the superintendent of Monroe County (Ala.) schools, one of four finalists vying to be superintendent of Hoover City Schools, describes herself as servant leader with the ability to inspire teachers, top administrators and students to reach their full potential.
“I have a very proactive work ethic. I’m really a workaholic,” Murphy told the Hoover School Board during an interview tonight, Monday, April 27. "Three things you need to know about Kathy Murphy. I know the work. I take the initiative to get the job done. And No. 3, I’m results-driven.”
You can watch Murphy’’s full interview at the following link:
http://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/hoover-high-school-hoover-al/c2537eaaa1
The Hoover school board interviewed the other three finalists last week: Dr. Paul “Vic” Wilson, superintendent of Hartselle, Ala. city schools; Dr. Chris J. Marczak, assistant superintendent of Oak Ridge City Schools in Oak Ridge, Tenn., and Dr. Charles Ledbetter, superintendent of Dublin City Schools in Dublin, Ga.. An archived link to their interviews is on the Hoover City Schools website, http://www.hoovercityschools.net/.
A fifth finalist, Dr. John D. Barge, former Georgia State Superintendent of Schools, called Hoover Board President Donna Frazier two weeks ago to withdraw from consideration after accepting another position in Georgia.
As a superintendent, Murphy said communication is one of her biggest strengths. In Monroe County, a rural county in southwestern Alabama, Murphy says she is known to go on site visits to the system’s seven schools and on visits to the communities where its 3,650 students live.
She hosts a weekly radio show highlighting accomplishments in the Monroe County school system and informing the public about what’s going on. Murphy also writes a weekly column in the community newspaper targeting members of its Class of 2015.
“I talk to students about the dangers of being average. I talk about being grounded and how to raise your level of competency,” Murphy said.
Asked her biggest weakness, Murphy said the fact that she is a workaholic causes her to sometimes “get off balance.”
“I work hard and expect other people to work hard and generate results too,” she said. “I hold people accountable.”
Board member Earl Cooper asked Murphy if she may come across as too intimidating to principals and other employees beneath her. Murphy responded she believes in site-based learning, but feels she has the type of personality that challenges employees but also makes them feel comfortable.
Murphy said she desires to become Hoover city schools superintendent because of its ability to attract teachers of excellence, with 15 percent of its teachers nationally certified, by far highest in the state of Alabama; and the fact that both parents and the community are actively engaged in supporting Hoover public schools.
“I’m convinced beyond a doubt that this school system can help me grow to become an even better leader,” Murphy said.
When asked whether she can adapt from leading a 3,600-student school system in a rural, poor Alabama county to running a 14,000-student school system in an affluent city like Hoover, Murphy said she is up to the challenge. "If you have leadership skills, it doesn’t matter whether you’re at a small school system or at a larger, affluent system,” Murphy said.
The national search for a replacement for former superintendent Andy Craig, who resigned in December to take a job with the Alabama Department of Education, was conducted by the Alabama Association of School Boards.
All interviews are open to the public and will be live-streamed/archived at the same URL to the Hoover City Schools’ website, hoovercityschools.net/. Each interview will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the board room at the school system central office, 2810 Metropolitan Way in Hoover. A small reception follows each finalists’ interview at 7:30 p.m.
Below is a link to a story about Dr. Murphy posted earlier today: http://hooversun.com/news/final-hoover-city-schools-superintendent-candidat427/
Here is background on the fourth and final candidate for Hoover city schools superintendent:
Dr. Kathy L. Murphy
Current position: Superintendent, Monroe County Board of Education in Monroeville, Alabama
Education:
· Doctorate, Auburn University, Physical Education, Program Administration
· Education Specialist, Auburn University Montgomery, Education Leadership
· Master's, Auburn University Montgomery, Educational Leadership
· Bachelor's, Troy University, Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
Years in education: 1984-present
About the candidate: Murphy has the most experience of the four finalists, beginning her career as a physical education teacher at Auburn Junior High School in 1984. Other than a five-year stint as an assistant professor at West Georgia College from 1988 to 1993, she has spent her entire professional career in Alabama.
Murphy has served as superintendent of Monroe County schools, which has 3,650 students, in southwest Alabama since 2011. She was appointed to her superintendent’s position after serving as principal of Charles Henderson High School in the Troy city school system in 2010.
From 1993 through 2010, Murphy served in several administrative leadership roles for the Butler County Board of Education, from principal of Greenville Middle and Greenville High schools to three years from 2008 to 2010 as administrative assistant to the superintendent of Butler County schools.
Now that the four finalists have been interviewed, the Hoover school board faces the tough task of picking a superintendent. Board President Donna Frazier has said board members plan to between May 1 and May 22 check references, make site visits, and negotiate a contract with their top choice. The board has set a goal of selecting a superintendent by the time the 2014-15 school year ends in late May, with the new superintendent expected to begin working by July 1.