Superintendent finalist plans to enroll his kids

The lone finalist to lead the Clayton County school system said he is so committed to turning the troubled district around that he’s bringing his most precious commodity: his children.

Edmond Heatley met with Clayton administrators and elected officials Wednesday morning. Although he is the only finalist for the Clayton job, Georgia law requires the school board to allow 14 days for public comment before hiring a superintendent.

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Edmond Heatley’s teenage daughter is checking out high schools.

On Wednesday, Heatley, a retired Marine and superintendent of the Chino Valley (Calif.) Unified School District, promised Clayton he wouldn’t be like the last superintendent — “an outsider” who alienated some community members.

“I’m not looking to come here and overturn things,” he said. “My name is Ed Heatley, not Dr. [John] Thompson. I’m my own man. I would ask they would judge me by my actions.”

The superintendent selection comes days after the Clayton school system regained accreditation.

On Friday, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the 48,000-student district, which spent about nine months unaccredited, on probation. The accreditation is contingent upon Clayton making continued improvements, including hiring an experienced superintendent.

SACS has criticized the district for unstable leadership. Clayton has had four different superintendents in the past 20 months.

Heatley, who will likely take over the district by the end of June, pledged to spend at least several years in Clayton — enough time to recruit back the 3,500 students who fled because of the loss of accreditation.

He listed building trust, getting off probation, repairing the budget and being a visionary as his top priorities.

Heatley, 46, said the only way he can build trust is by sending his own children to school, buying a house, shopping and going to church — all in Clayton.

Clayton District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson said she was impressed that Heatley wasn’t bringing his own team and had pledged to work with Clayton’s school administrators.

“We lost accreditation. That’s devastating,” Heatley said. “We got it back. It wasn’t from people in California. They [Clayton] have shown ability to do what’s right.”

Heatley said he recognizes that he will face some criticism and political backlash from those who wanted interim Superintendent Valya Lee to be given the permanent position. Lee, who declined to comment, interviewed for the position but was not selected as a finalist.

Sid Chapman, president of Clayton’s largest teachers union, said he was hoping for a superintendent with experience in Georgia.

“Since we have not had a good track record with superintendents from bargaining states, my initial concern is how will he cooperate with the union here and get acquainted with Georgia law,” said Chapman, who represents about 2,800 school employees.

Heatley, 46, started his career as a special education teacher in Norfolk, Va. He rose through the ranks of the Marine Corps and retired as a master sergeant.

He boasts that he raised test scores, graduation rates and attendance rates during his three years in Chino, a district where the majority of the 32,000 students are Hispanic.

Justine Cunningham, president of the teachers union in Chino, said Heatley is a strong leader and set goals. But she questions how he got those goals met.

“Teachers through their hard work are the ones who got those goals achieved,” said Cunningham, who represents about 1,500 teachers. “Are there warm-fuzzies? No. I don’t know if it’s the military background, but I think the teachers would have liked more positive reinforcement.”

Two weeks ago, parents protested outside Heatley’s office, upset over announced school closings. Heatley said the closings were necessary for budget cuts.

Cunningham said she understands the closings, but she doesn’t think the superintendent related to the parents enough to understand their concerns.

“He just came into our district three years ago and doesn’t really understand the roots of our community. A lot of parents think he sees it as a number or a budget, not a school where multiple generations went,” said Cunningham, who grew up in Chino and attended one of the schools that are closing.

He also never enrolled his children in Chino schools, Cunningham said.

Heatley insisted he will lay down roots in Clayton.

Last week, Heatley’s 16-year-old daughter, Chelsia, called Clayton schools to narrow her list of where to spend her junior year.

“They won’t be able to call me an outsider for long,” he said.