Watson Chapel School District board members met in another work session Tuesday in hopes of identifying its next superintendent, although one of the finalists has apparently turned in his resignation to the school board where he currently works.
Board President Goldie Whitaker said the members have not come to a final consensus on the successful candidate, reiterating her plan to announce that person in the regular board meeting Monday.
Tom Wilson was to retire as superintendent June 30, but Whitaker said he is still serving by the day until a new hire is made. Wilson was not present at Tuesday’s meeting.
Whitaker said after Wilson announced his retirement June 4 she expected to have a successor in place by July 1, the start of a new fiscal year for Arkansas school districts.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The board is “assuring our stakeholders and staff and students we are placing the right person in that place,” Whitaker said. “We want to make sure it’s going to be the right candidate for this community and the Watson Chapel Wildcat district.”
That is to say, Whitaker affirmed, any of the four interviewed candidates would be a good fit for the WCSD. The final candidates are Veronica Perkins of Blytheville, Marvin Burton of Little Rock, Keith McGee of Helena-West Helena and David Westenhover of Alpena.
McGee on Wednesday turned in his letter of resignation to the Helena-West Helena school board, to take effect Monday, the day of Watson Chapel’s regular board meeting. The Commercial obtained a copy of the letter from a source with knowledge of the matter, although McGee does not mention a future place of employment.
“I often share with our district, staff and building leaders that family comes first,” McGee wrote in the letter. “It’s now time that I heed those words. This next step in my career not only presents an exciting new adventure but also allows me to be closer to my family. I care deeply about the students and staff in the HWHSD and am profoundly grateful for the support I have received.”
McGee previously worked in the Little Rock and North Little Rock school districts. According to the Helena-West Helena World newspaper, McGee had agreed to a $9,960 raise, raising his salary to $159,960 annually and the total value of his contract to $171,000 annually.