The search firm hired to find Atlanta Public Schools' next superintendent heard what others want, with longtime teacher Thea Johnson telling its representatives that she and her colleagues have felt "beaten up" and need someone who believes in "bottom-up leadership."
On Monday night, Johnson was among 45 people who attended a public forum hosted by Illinois-based Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates held on the first day of a two-day visit.
Other speakers said they wanted a hands-on, professional educator who would spend more time on campus than in an office, and who paid attention to details.
The forum represented the most public work done to date by the firm, which soon will enter a more involved recruitment phase. When Atlanta school board members hired the firm in March, co-founder Bill Attea stressed the work could be done by July 1, marking the end of April through early June as a key time period to line up candidates.
The firm, which is conducting a public survey through the APS website, also will gather insight and opinions during this visit through one-on-one meetings with school board members, APS staff, parents and community leaders.
The bulk of that work will be compiled and presented to the school board by May 2. The names of three finalists are expected to be made public in mid-June, if the search stays on schedule.
City schools Superintendent Beverly Hall will step down June 30 after 12 years on the job.
State and federal investigators continue to examine evidence of widespread test tampering in Atlanta schools.
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