Pr. George's Board of Ed. Promises Transparency in Superintendent Search

The Prince George’s County Board of Education pledges in a letter to the community that it is committed to making sure residents are involved and informed as the search begins for a new superintendent.

According to the county, Superintendent William Hite, who resigned a few weeks ago, has decided to forgo his six months of severance pay – around $125,000 – in order to bypass the 120-day notice provision in his contract, making his last day Sept. 30.

Hite chose to forgo his severance in exchange for the early release in order to start his new position leading the Philadelphia School District sooner, said Briant Coleman, a spokesperson for Prince George's County Public Schools. 

Coleman says that although the search for a new superintendent is in the very early stages, the board is searching both internally and externally for individuals who fulfill their requirements.

“The board is looking for someone who can maintain the level of excellence we have experienced over the last three to five years,” Coleman said, adding that they hope to find someone with the talent and expertise to capitalize on the progress the school district has made. 

The county recently launched a "superintendent search" website specifically for the purposes of conveying information and updates on the search to the community.

“We want to make sure the community is involved,” Coleman said. “We’ve laid out a preliminary plan that will be open and transparent.”

A timeline on the website demonstrates that the search will begin in the fall of 2012 and end with the installation of the new superintendent by June or July of 2013.

An interim superintendent will be appointed by the second week of August, according to Coleman, and board members will meet Saturday to have a discussion about who to appoint.

In order to make the transition smooth and stable, the board said Hite will work closely with the acting superintendent during the transition and start of the new school year, which begins on Aug. 20.

Throughout August and September, the board will hold meet and greet sessions with the community and interim superintendent. In addition, from October through January of next year, there will be several community-wide forums.

Coleman says the dates for these community events have not yet been decided. 

“Our goal is to ensure that the public receives regular communication regarding our progress,” the board said. “We will seek input from all of our constituents for candidate nominations and input on the future of PGCPS.”