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Educators Vying for Top Camden Spot County to Consider Two Men to Replace Retiring Schools Superintendent.

Posted on: Friday, 10 February 2006, 18:00 CST

By TERESA STEPZINSKI

KINGSLAND -- Two experienced Camden County educators are under consideration by the county Board of Education to lead the 9,600- student public school system.

The school board is planning to select on Thursday, Feb. 9, either Assistant Superintendent Gary Blount or Assistant Superintendent Will Hardin to replace retiring Superintendent Ann Proctor.

Hardin oversees school system finances and operations. Blount is responsible for the system's curriculum and student services and is principal of Camden County High School.

Hardin and Blount in separate interviews Friday gave the Times- Union an overview of their qualifications and priorities if selected as superintendent.

Hardin said he has diverse experience in many facets of education -- such as policy development, curriculum, construction and finance - - that make him the best candidate.

"Frequent opportunities for written and spoken communication with subordinates, peers, the public and elected officials at local, state and national levels required a capacity to successfully champion educational causes," Hardin said.

Blount also said his extensive experience makes him the best person for the job.

"My experience as a principal at the elementary, middle and high school level gives me a background unmatched by any other applicant," he said. "I know more about our instructional program and system than any other applicant."

Camden County is the second-largest public school system in South Georgia, next to Glynn County. Camden has nine elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school with a separate ninth-grade center, and an alternative school.

All of its schools met federal education standards for student achievement last year. The school system's budget projects expenditures totaling about $98 million.VETERAN EDUCATORS

Blount and Hardin have devoted their careers to public education in Georgia, especially Camden County schools. Each is respected by his peers statewide. Both have participated in state and national education conferences and completed many professional seminars.

Blount has 33 years of experience as an educator. Hardin has 24 years.

Hardin and Blount each began their careers as classroom teachers and advanced to become school principals, then district administrators.

Although they share the common goal of improving student achievement, Blount and Hardin have different ideas about how that can best be accomplished.

If appointed superintendent, Blount said his top priorities would include full implementation of the Georgia Performances Standards and ensuring that student achievement continues to improve. He wants to provide teachers with more staff development opportunities as well as make sure they have enough planning time to develop "high quality instructional units" to teach students the academic skills they need to meet the standards.

Blount also said the school system needs a comprehensive plan to address projected growth in student enrollment as the county's population increases.

The school system "must determine how many new students, in what grade levels and in what areas of the county" that they will be residing. It is essential that the system has plans in place to accommodate a variety of growth scenarios, he said.

"We must develop a growth plan for Camden County High School. Do we follow the successful model of the 9th Grade Center and build a Fine Arts or Math/Science Center in a separate building on campus? Or should we do a major general expansion of the existing building, or look at opening a second high school," Blount said.

The system also must explore all possible funding sources to pay for expanding or building new school facilities, he said.

"We need to consider a special purpose local option sales tax to make sure the [financial] burden is fairly shared by all county residents, not just property owners," Blount said.HARDIN'S PRIORITIES

Hardin said his top priorities, if appointed superintendent, would include implementing programs to better motivate students, which in turn would help raise student achievement and also reduce the dropout rate.

"Unmotivated students are the greatest challenge to any educational system . . . Students who cannot do, are perceived just like those who will not do. We must ensure both [groups] succeed but the approach to each is completely different," Hardin said.

Unmotivated students should be addressed at the earliest age possible. The state's performance standards are "an open door for change right now," he said.

Hardin also wants to strengthen the school system's curriculum and raise academic expectations for students. That can be accomplished, he said, through better assessment of students' academic skills and adjusting the curriculum.

"Strengthening curriculum through alignment with [Georgia Performances Standards] and introducing a more completely articulated curriculum" would help promote improvement and success throughout each succeeding grade level, he said.

Hardin said more accurate assessment data would allow teachers to better tailor their lessons to meet the academic needs of their students.STRONG CANDIDATES

Proctor will retire on June 30 after serving as superintendent since 2000.

"In our hearts, we're not ready to let her go. But we understand her decision and wish her well in her retirement," school board member Tricia Smith said.

A board member for about 20 years, Smith served as the panel's chairwoman for many years. Selecting a new superintendent is one of the toughest decisions that the panel has faced, she said.

"We have two very qualified candidates. It's going to be a very difficult decision . . . The board is making a real effort to choose the superintendent who will be best for our children and teachers," Smith said.

Hardin and Blount were the only two applicants for the job.

To preserve continuity, and to recognize the quality of district administrators, the school board decided to accept applications from educators already in the system. That process previously led to Proctor's appointment as superintendent.

Smith said she hasn't made up her mind. But she knows what attributes and skills she wants in the new superintendent.

"For me, it's someone of good character and integrity who has a vision for the school system, and has the leadership and skills to help guide and continue the progress that we've made in our student achievement," Smith said. "No superintendant is strong in every area. But a good superintendent surrounds himself with people who have the expertise in areas that he might not be as strong in."teresa.stepzinski@jacksonville.com, (912) 264-0405

Source: Florida Times Union

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