Key school positions being vacated

The Grady County School System is currently advertising to employ a new Cairo High School Principal, but so far interest in the job is tepid.
Grady County School Superintendent Lee M. Bailey said this week that currently only five candidates have expressed interest or have made application for the position.
The position was vacated last September by David McCurry and filled on an interim basis by Assistant School Superintendent Dr. Kermit Gilliard. McCurry resigned after being hired as superintendent of Chattahoochee County, Ga., schools.
Superintendent Bailey remains confident that interest in the local position will be strong. However, he notes the deadline for applications is not until Feb. 27.
Bailey is predicting many applicants will wait until closer to the deadline to submit applications.
The superintendent also said the date could be extended if necessary.
The CHS principal’s job is not the only position school system officials will have to fill before the beginning of a new school term.
Since the Jan. 13 school board meeting, the superintendent has received letters from Assistant Superintendent Demetrius Cox and Operations Director Jerry Cox indicating their plans to retire at the end of the current school term.
Whigham Principal Sherry Moncrief has discussed retiring at the end of this term with her faculty, but Superintendent Bailey said Tuesday that he had not received a retirement letter from Mrs. Moncrief.
At its Jan. 13 meeting, the board of education approved the retirement of Shiver Principal Patsy Clark, who will step down at the end of the current school year.
“The reason for the turnover is simple, these professionals have dedicated their lives to education and their careers and are now at the point they are ready to retire so they can enjoy the next phase of their lives,” Bailey said.
The superintendent said in the coming weeks the school system will begin advertising to fill all of these vacancies.
There have been rumors circulated that Superintendent Bailey will also retire when his contract expires in June, however, the superintendent was not ready on Tuesday to reveal his plans.
“I know for a fact that at some point I will retire and die. I just don’t know when. Hopefully not at the same time,” Superintendent Bailey quipped.