MEMPHIS, Tenn — Friday, Memphis Shelby County Schools released its new list of semifinalists for a permanent school district superintendent.
The five semifinalists, Dr. Yolanda Brown, Dr. Cheryl Proctor, Dr. Marie Feagins, Dr. Carlton Jenkins and current MSCS Deputy Superintendent Dr. Angela Whitelaw, appeared before the school board to answer questions, with members of the public on hand to watch.
The rubric rating sheet that the school board is using to evaluate superintendent candidates was available for parents and community members at the meeting to fill out and submit as well. The categories are Student Achievement (30 percent), Business and Finance (20 percent), Board Relations (20 percent), Staff Relations (15 percent) and Community Relations (15 percent).
The board said those comments will be part of what goes into how they judge each candidate.
“They consider us as equals [and] have the community's input this time, which was a component that was lacking the last time when they put off the search,” said Damon Morris, who currently has three children attending school in the district.
This is the second time the school board has announced a short list of candidates since former Superintendent Joris Ray resigned in August 2022 amid a misconduct scandal.
“The process is long. The process can take a year because you have to do that work,” said Tomeka Hartwigginton, whose consulting firm, the Hartwig Group, is working with the school board on the selection process.
The search was put on pause during the spring of 2023 after MSCS board members voiced opposition of how the previous finalists were selected. After the board spent thousands more in taxpayer dollars for a new search, Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Whitelaw are finalists again.
“It can be questionable, you know, ulterior motives,” Morris said. “I did have discussions with some people about some [other] people that weren’t included in the finalists.”
MSCS's goal is to announce their new superintendent in Feb. 2024.
“I would just ask that you give them some grace and don’t hold them so tight to time,” Hartwigginton said. “But that’s their plan.”
The board will meet again Tuesday, when they are expected to vote on which of these five will become their three finalists.