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Public gives ideas for district leader

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There were plenty of open seats in the Hilton Head High School auditorium Wednesday night after only eight people showed up for a public session about the search for a new school district superintendent.

Despite the small size of the group, however, participants were welcomed enthusiastically by Bill Newman, an executive director for Ray and Associates, the firm conducting the national search.

"I'd like to fill the room," Newman said. "But we'll take the sample we can get."

The forum was one of two on Hilton Head Island on Wednesday.

The earlier session, which took place at noon, drew only 11 people. Despite that low turnout, the firm's representatives seemed eager to hear what people had to say.

"The people involved really do care," said Jim Surratt, who moderated the noon session. "There's a genuine concern that the district find the best person possible."

At both sessions, audience members were asked to name some of the characteristics they want in a new superintendent. Many of their answers revolved around management style and communication skills.

"Someone who doesn't suffer from what I call, 'analysis paralysis' -- that they come in and analyze things forever and never make a decision," suggested Karen Golden, a Hilton Head Realtor. "They're so busy trying to please everyone and get everyone's input that they just get paralyzed with studying things to death."

Hilton Head resident and elementary school parent Erika McGoldrick stressed that the new superintendent must keep the community informed about what's happening in the district.

"The communication has been so poor for so long, and it's been so negative, that people have just gotten beyond fed up," McGoldrick said.

The search is targeting a replacement for former superintendent Edna Crews, who resigned in September after serving for about a year. Former Rock Hill superintendent Phillip McDaniel currently is serving as the interim superintendent on a month-to-month contract.

Two more public-input sessions are scheduled today in Bluffton at 2 and 7 p.m. in Room 120 at Bluffton High School, 12 H.E. McCracken Circle.

Contact Dan Williamson at 706-8142 or .