LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Fayette County Public School's next superintendent could be chosen as soon as Thursday, according to Board Chair Tyler Murphy, after the community had the chance to meet with the final candidates.
About 200 people attended the meet and greets at Frederick Douglass High School with each of the final five candidates on Wednesday, where they were able to ask questions and offer feedback to the district.
The candidates also spoke to reporters.
Angela Dominguez, assistant superintendent of academic services for the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, said her knowledge of the district sets her apart from the other candidates.
"I've done my homework and I have experience in a large urban district very similar to Fayette County," Dominguez said. "I've gotten traction and results in schools that are very similar to the schools that you have here in the district.
Christopher Bernier, chief of staff for Clark County Public Schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, also said his experience in large urban systems is a strength.
"I've worked with very complex communities, very complex situations and enrollments significantly larger than that here," he said. "Two very important things support my foundation. One is my integrity, and the other is my servant leadership."
Melvin Brown, superintendent of Reynoldsburg City Schools in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, said he would lean on his experience in the role for Fayette County.
"I've been advocating for education my entire career," he said. "If you go to my twitter account you will see that I'm an unapologetic advocate for public education and will continue to be."
Tawana Grover, Superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools in Grand Island, Nebraska, said it's her core values that make her a good fit for the role.
"I really do feel like I have a very unique skill set and being able to hear different viewpoints and helping to craft a vision as well as a strategic approach," she said, "I have the data points to prove it and a track record to prove it."
And Demetrus Liggins, Superintendent of Greenville Independent School District in Greenville, Texas, said his diverse experiences would guide him as superintendent in Fayette County.
"I really have a vision for Fayette County," he said, "to really expand the services that we're providing to our students beyond just high school and really partner very closely with the university to ensure that our students are getting opportunities while still in K-12 that goes beyond the K-12 arena."
The Fayette County School Board will meet Thursday to discuss each of the candidates. That's when a final decision could be made, according to Board Chair Tyler Murphy.
The board is committed to having a new superintendent in the role at the beginning of the next school year, he said.
Detailed descriptions of each candidate are available here.
