Board of Education
The names of five finalists vying to be the next superintendent of Hoover City Schools will be announced during a special Hoover Board of Education meeting at 5:30 p.m. today (Tuesday April 14).
Kendy Behrends, a consultant for the Alabama Association of School Boards conducting the national search on behalf of the Hoover school board, said in an interview today she is awaiting final confirmation from candidates. Behrends will present the finalists’ names and a summary of the candidates to board members and the public during the meeting at Spain Park High School, 4700 Jaguar Drive in Hoover.
“Superintendent finalist numbers are somewhat fluid this time of year because superintendent candidates are often considered by more than one district. This is the case in Hoover’s search also,” said Behrends, former superintendent at Florence city schools before becoming a consultant.
Behrends said the Hoover schools superintendent opening generated interest from across the country, indicating the national reputation the city school system has received. The position was advertised in prestigious education journals, she said.
“I’m very impressed with the finalists,” Behrends said. “Any of these candidates are well equipped to be able to do the job effectively. It just depends on who the Hoover school board feels is the right fit.”
As a part of the meeting, the board will discuss the remaining functions of the superintendent search process, including interviews, and will take questions. The person selected will replace Andy Craig, who resigned as Hoover superintendent late last year to take a job with the Alabama Department of Education. Jim Reese has been serving as interim Hoover City Schools Superintendent.
Behrends said the interview process is still on schedule with the dates previously set by the Hoover school board. The schedule is as follows:
- April 14: Finalists names and background to be presented to school board
- April 20-30: Hoover school board conducts interviews of the finalists
- May 1-22: Check references, site visits, negotiate contract
- June 30 or July 1: New superintendent's start date
