Brooks' stand-in successor selected

LITTLE ROCK — The Little Rock School Board voted 6-0 Tuesday night to appoint Linda Watson of North Little Rock as interim school district superintendent. She is replacing Roy Brooks, whose contract was bought out in May.

Watson is the district's senior director of student services and assistant superintendent in charge of student discipline. She has more than 20 years of experience with the district.

Watson said her priority would be student achievement.

"We've got to hit the ground running," Watson said after the four-hour meeting. "I'll be meeting with senior staff and we've got to put our programs together for the coming school year."

Watson, whose contract details are still to be worked out, will serve while the board searches for apermanent chief executive for the 26,600-student district. The board voted 4-3 in May to buy out the remaining two years of Brooks' contract. He earns $198,000 a year plus benefits and a service bonus.

During the lengthy meeting, Watson and three other applicants were interviewed publicly before the board went into executive session to deliberate on a selection. Board member Melanie Fox missed the final vote because of a family emergency.

The unanimous vote came after a discussion about whether the candidate interviews would be conducted in executive session.

Board member Baker Kurrus argued that the decision was a foregone conclusion and said he wouldn't participate in closed-door interviews.

"I'm not going to go in a back room and waste time when this decision has already been made," he said. "I'm not going to waste the time of three people who don't have a chance at the job."

Board member Dianne Curry put forward a motion to hold the candidate interviews in public, which passed 4-2, with member Charles Armstrong abstaining and members Katherine Mitchell and Michael Daugherty voting against.

During almost 45 minutes of questions from board members, Watson said she believed she could work with the board.

"I believe I should provide you with the best information possible so you can make the best decisions possible," Watson said. "I would hope that we could work together for the good of the district."

Asked how she would handle conflicts with the School Board, Watson said she would rely on her abilities as a mediator, honed during 15 years of mediating discipline cases.

"Sometimes, we may have to agree to disagree and then move on for the betterment of our children," she said.

Board member Larry Berkley asked Watson her thoughts about the desegregation case.

"I'm going to wait and see what the next judge says," Watson answered.

She pointed out to board members that the district has a habit of hiring superintendents from outside the district. "Maybe I could demonstrate to you all that someone from inside the district could do the job," she said.

The other three candidates for the interim position were:

Mary Jane Cheatham, who served as principal at four elementary schools in the district before retiring in 2004 as a mathematics teacher at Southwest Middle School.

Robert B. Holitik, a Memphis lawyer who served as assistant Little Rock city attorney in 1998.

Steven Wise of Bryant, an assistant principal at Pulaski Heights Middle School. He is a14-year district veteran and recently completed the district's 15-month Superintendent's Institute program for building leadership.

Watson and Wise have doctorate degrees in education.

Cheatham, who in addition to her 30 years of experience in the district also served 28 years in the Arkansas Army National Guard, told board members her experience in the district also was important.

"Thirty years of institutional memory will help avoid the mistakes of the past," she said.

She promised to take the interim superintendent job for a salary of $25,000.

Holitik, the only noneducator among the four candidates, said his lack of educational experience might be a plus.

"Do you need an educator at this time, or do you need an attorney?" Holitik asked. "I think that's the question."

Wise said the board conflict was a community problem and not just a school district issue.

"Community issues are school issues," he said. "There is a huge need for a functional forum designed around communication, discussion and resolution between the community and the district in more ways than just board meetings and court appearances."