CCSD Board moving forward with Chief Academic Officer candidate
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston County School District will move forward with a candidate for the Chief Academic Officer position after a vote on Monday night.
The Board of Trustees voted 5-3 to “authorize the Acting Superintendent of Schools to negotiate an employment contract for a Chief Academic Officer with Candidate A with a negotiable salary and with an immediate start date.” Trustee Pam McKinney abstained.
Based on the positive reaction from the crowd directed towards Interim Chief Academic Officer Michelle Simmons and descriptions given by some board members during the discussion, it was implied Simmons was Candidate A.
It was later confirmed by a source that Simmons is “Candidate A.”
Simmons has served as the Interim Chief Academic Officer since July 2022. On September 25th of this year, the board voted 5-4 to deny Simmons the permanent role. This decision received pushback from the community in the weeks and months that followed.
The appointment of a Chief Academic Officer was discussed privately during an executive session. Public comments followed, where a majority of the speakers voiced their support for the Interim CAO.
“We have an excellent, exceptional leader who has been Interim Chief Academic Officer for the past year. Our students need that experience, 24 years. Before EL. She’s been in this district, doing this work way before EL came so please do the right thing for our students,” said Joy Brown, a CCSD parent & education advocate.
A public discussion among the board came after that. Board Chair Keith Grybowski attempted to amend the contract terms to be 1.5 years with a three-year renewable provision and the salary to stay at the current salary, but that motion failed. He followed by saying the candidate had already served 1.5 years.
“I’d recommend the board allow me to negotiate a contract with the candidate. The external panel unanimously recommended her to me and as a result, I took her in front of the chief-level cabinet and spoke with them individually about her credentials and they all supported the recommendation as well and so I bring her forward tonight as a unanimous support from me and the chief level leaders in the district,” said Acting Superintendent Anita Huggins to the board.
It was revealed by staff during the meeting that all other acting chiefs were offered three-year contracts.
The Regular Board of Trustees meeting lasted nearly six hours, in addition to the Committee of the Whole meeting that took place before it.
