Wake schools to name new superintendent Tuesday

The Wake County Board of Education will name the next leader for the state's largest school district next Tuesday. The board has scheduled a work session at 3:30 p.m. and a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Posted 2:15 p.m. May 30, 2013 — Updated 3:14 p.m. Jun 3, 2013

CARY, N.C. — The Wake County Board of Education will name the next leader for the state's largest school district next Tuesday. The board has scheduled a work session at 3:30 p.m. and a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. that afternoon.

It is not clear whether the new superintendent will be present at the meeting.

The three finalists for the job – Dana Bedden, superintendent of Irving Independent School District outside Dallas; James Merrill, superintendent of Virginia Beach City Public Schools; and Ann Clark, deputy superintendent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system – made their case to the public on Tuesday evening in Raleigh. The board had final interviews on Wednesday.

Citing the need to give notice to the current employer, school board chairman Keith Sutton said he wants the new superintendent to start by August. He said he expects the board to name an acting superintendent next week to replace interim Superintendent Stephen Gainey, who starts his new job running the Randolph County school system on July 1.

The new superintendent will face a variety of issues from Day One, including helping build public support for an $810 million school construction bond referendum this fall, while dealing with state legislation that’s expected to turn construction authority over to the board of commissioners.

Other issues on the system’s agenda include dealing with potential state budget cuts and developing a new student assignment plan that includes diversity as a factor.

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