Retired Marine says he’s a contender for Clayton schools chief

A retired Marine drill instructor and California superintendent says he is a finalist for the Clayton County schools superintendent job.

On Friday, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools reinstated Clayton’s accreditation but placed the district on probation for two years. The accreditation is contingent on Clayton making continued improvements, including hiring an experienced superintendent.

Clayton County schools headlines:

• Photos: Timeline of Clayton schools' woes

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• Read the full report to SACS:
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• Read SACS' report (PDF)

Clayton County news

Edmond Heatley, superintendent of the Chino Valley (Calif.) Unified School District, spoke exclusively with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday and acknowledged he is a finalist.

“I don’t get in anything to get in second,”Heatly said.

The Clayton County school board is scheduled to name its superintendent finalists, including Heatley, this week. The board has pledged to hire a permanent superintendent by July 1.

On Friday, SACS ordered the district to find stable leadership. The district has had four different superintendents in the past 20 months.

“It is imperative that the next superintendent of schools has experience as a superintendent and a proven track record of success in leading school systems and in building the conditions that result in improving student achievement,” SACS wrote in its report.

The new superintendent must be able to “draw from successful experiences elsewhere” and help to “infuse new ideas and strategies,” SACS said.

Heatley could be that leader, said Michael Calta, a Chino school board member.

“He said he had been offered a job in Georgia, but wasn’t sure he was taking it,” Calta said. “He’s definitely a transformational leader and sounds like a good fit. We kind of knew he aspired for greater challenges. He worked hard, and I think he put us on the right track.”

Clayton board Chairwoman Alieka Anderson did not return phone calls or e-mails Saturday.

Interim Superintendent Valya Lee, who initially said she was not interested in the permanent position, said Saturday that she interviewed for the job Friday after teachers and parents encouraged her to apply. She did not know whether she was a finalist.

Some residents have said they want Lee to be the permanent superintendent. She initially said she was not interested in the position.

Last week, Heatley withdrew as a finalist for superintendent of Washoe schools in Reno, Nev., saying he had “accepted a similar position in Georgia,” according to a statement from Washoe schools.

“I backed out because I’m more than interested in Clayton County,” Heatley said. “Clayton is a better fit for my family.”

The Clayton school board interviewed Heatley last month while attending the National School Boards Association conference in San Diego.

Heatley split his career between teaching and 21 years in the Marines. In 2002, he was appointed an associate superintendent in Oceanside, Calif.

Three years later, he took over as top of administrator of Chino, a 33,000-student.

Since his appointment, academics have increased by 20 points and litigation has decreased by 75 percent in Chino, a district where 50 percent of the students are Hispanic, he said.

While his tenure in Chino has been mostly positive, last week parents protested outside his office, upset over schools closing next year. The closures were recommended as budget cuts.

Heatley said he and his family, including his three children, are ready to move to Clayton. He said he believes in the school system so much that he would send his 14-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter to Clayton schools.

“If a system is not good for my child, as a superintendent, what do other parents expect?” he said.

Heatley insists he can meet the standards to get off probation and fully restore accreditation by drawing from the lesson he learned in the military - discipline, order, how to lead a team and open communication.

“You take care of your people and you take care of the mission,” he said. “Anything good goes back to the staff and the students. Anything bad that happens in the system goes back to the superintendent.”