New superintendent named for Lee County Schools. Current chief to retire end of December
The search for a new superintendent of Lee County Schools has been narrowed to one candidate.
During its meeting Tuesday night, the Lee County Board of Education unanimously voted to hire Mike Howard, the superintendent of Jacksonville (Alabama) City Schools, to be its new leader, the Opelika Observer reported.
John Tucker, a Phenix City resident who serves the Muscogee County School District as a school effectiveness specialist with the Georgia Department of Education, was the other finalist.
James “Mac” McCoy, who has been Lee County’s superintendent for 10 years, plans to retire Dec. 31.
The board interviewed the two finalists Nov. 7. They were selected out of eight qualified candidates who applied between Aug. 15 and Sept. 30, according to the Oct. 23 presentation from attorney William Sanderson of the Huntsville law firm Lanier Ford Shaver & Payne, who led the search.
Sanderson provided the following bio info about each of the finalists:
- Howard previously was superintendent of St. Clair County (Alabama) Schools. He has been an educator for 23 years, including positions as a teacher, assistant principal and principal. He earned a doctorate in rural education from the University of West Alabama.
- Tucker retired in June as superintendent of Camden County (Georgia) Schools. He has been an educator for 36 years, including positions as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, deputy principal and principal. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Sarasota.
The timeline Sanderson presented shows the board intends to vote on its contract with Howard at the December meeting so the next superintendent could start by Jan. 1.
This story was originally published November 15, 2023 at 11:49 AM.
