To say the search for DeKalb County Schools’ new superintendent went smoothly would be an exaggeration.
First, some complained the DeKalb Board of Education was taking too long to begin its search to replace outgoing Superintendent Michael Thurmond, though Thurmond had given more than a year’s notice by saying he would not renew his contract when it expired in June 2015.
Then, in December 2014 the board hired the only search firm to respond to its request for assistance in the search. PROACT Search had previously been fired by Atlanta Public Schools before that board ultimately chose Meria Carstarphen.
PROACT eventually was fired by the board, but not before handing over a list of candidates for the job, including Kansas City Public Schools chief Steve Green. Green became the sole finalist for the job, accepting in late May of 2015.
Green visited schools and talked of his plans to beef up curriculum and instruction. He said he wanted to hear from students, parents and staffers, rather than them hearing from him.
He brought with him no one from Kansas City, an oddity as new superintendents go in metropolitan Atlanta.
Then again, Leo Brown, the man chosen to lead the district's human resources department on an interim basis, had passed through Kansas City Public Schools, while Green was superintendent.
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