Montgomery Public Schools narrows list of superintendent candidates to six

Montgomery Public Schools is one step closer to naming a new school superintendent after narrowing a list of potential candidates to six.

“We have highly qualified candidates who possess the vision, leadership, and experience necessary to guide our district forward,” said Arica Watkins-Smith, Montgomery County Board of Education president (District 7), during a Friday briefing.

Those candidates are:

• Zickeyous Byrd – Former superintendent, Selma City Public Schools

• Constance Evelyn – Former superintendent, Valley Stream 13 School District, New York

• Barbara Lashley – Deputy superintendent, Rome City Schools, Georgia

• Scott Schneider – Chief of schools, Duval County Public Schools, Florida

• Angela Whitelaw – Deputy superintendent, Memphis-Shelby County Public Schools, Tennessee

• Harold Wright – Deputy superintendent of achievement and leadership at Crowley Independent School District, Fort Worth, Texas

More: Here’s what Montgomery says they want in the next schools superintendent

The group was selected after what Watkins-Smith described as a thorough and rigorous process. She said this selection was better than previous ones, because it allowed for a “head-to-head” process with extensive background research. She said the group has both local national national roots.

“Thank you to the (Montgomery County Board of Education) for being unified in bringing a talented slate of candidates to engage you and the public,” Watkins-Smith said.

Watkins-Smith also offered her thanks to Jamie Wilson, who has served as interim superintendent since November 2024. She stepped into the role after then-superintendent Melvin J. Brown resigned in September 2024 after two years in the role.

“Interim superintendent Mrs. Wilson has done a phenomenal job in leading the charge as interim for all of the things that we’ve needed her to do,” Watkins-Smith said.

She also offered thanks to the community at large for the public’s engagement throughout the process.

“We conducted 32 interviews and focus groups, and had 991 people who responded to the community survey,” Watkins-Smith said.

More: What kind of superintendent does Montgomery need? Schools release public survey

The school board will begin initial interviews with each candidate during the week of March 3. Watkins-Smith said it’s important for the public to continue to be involved as interviews continue — to meet the candidates, form opinions about them, and vet the candidates for themselves.

“Leadership and education go together,” Watkins-Smith said. “We want to make sure the leader that we have is able to come in and help not only move our school district forward, but to also connect with the community.”

Learn more about the superintendent candidates and the interview process at mps.k12.al.us/page/superintendent-search-2025

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel can be contacted at sheupel@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Who will be Montgomery Public Schools superintendent? Six make list

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