Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board members who voted last month to retain former Superintendent Crystal Hill will make up three of the four committee members tasked with finding her successor.
CMS announced Wednesday that board members Anna London, Cynthia Stone and Monty Witherspoon will lead the ad hoc superintendent search committee alongside board Chair Dee Rankin. London will chair the committee.
London, Stone, Witherspoon and Lenora Shipp voted last month to retain Hill. But five of their colleagues, including Rankin, voted to fire her.
In a statement, Rankin said the superintendent search process will be transparent and include engagement from students, families, staff and the broader community.
“Finding the next superintendent is one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to the board,” Rankin said. “We are committed to conducting a thoughtful, inclusive, and transparent process that gives our students, families, employees, and community partners meaningful opportunities to be heard. Their perspectives will help shape the qualities and priorities we seek in our next leader as we continue our focus on improving outcomes for every student.”
The board officially launched the committee at the end of September. But
Witherspoon was among board members who wanted to hold off until the board addressed broader leadership issues.
The committee will begin its work as CMS faces multiple investigations into alleged financial irregularities, including criminal inquiries from the state and the FBI and a probe by the state auditor. Hill had written a memo to the board outlining concerns about its contracting practices just days before it fired her.
