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Interim chief gets schools' top job: Longtime educator Ashby Kilgore is named superintendent for Newport News.
(Daily Press (Newport News, VA) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) May 25--NEWPORT NEWS -- Ashby C. Kilgore is the new superintendent of Newport News Public Schools, the School Board announced Thursday.
Kilgore learned of her appointment Thursday morning, shortly after the board met and made its decision.
"I was very surprised and I was very excited," she said. "I was also very appreciative. I'm very appreciative to have the opportunity to lead Newport News schools, a place where I've been for 11 years. I care about the families, the kids and all of the programs we're doing.
"I like the positive momentum we're in and I want to continue with that," Kilgore said.
Kilgore, who has been serving as the school system's interim chief since October, begins her tenure as superintendent June 1.
Her immediate plans are to sit down with the School Board to learn what its members think the strategic efforts should be for the school system. "I've never met with them as their superintendent," Kilgore said, "but I think I can add insight, and together we can set a collective direction."
Kilgore's plans for the school system also include using this year's Smart, Safe Schools initiative as an ongoing framework and continuing to guarantee that Newport News students meet the educational standards set by the state and federal governments.
She said she also wants to ensure that students are prepared for the 21st century workplace.
"I think our main goal is to open doors for the kids," Kilgore said, "to make it possible for them to have more options because they went to Newport News Public Schools."
The School Board conducted a national search to find a replacement for former superintendent Marcus Newsome, who left in September to become superintendent of schools in Chesterfield County near Richmond. Newsome was hired in 2003. The search included 29 qualified applicants from 14 states. In the end, the choice came down to Kilgore and the superintendent for an educational agency in Columbus, Ohio.
The School Board unanimously approved Kilgore's selection Thursday morning in a meeting that was closed to the public and only publicized on Wednesday to people inside the school district's administration building on Warwick Boulevard.
Schools spokeswoman Michelle Morgan confirmed that neither the media nor the general public was notified.
The meeting also wasn't publicized on the Internet as state law says public bodies in Virginia must do.
School Board Chairman Rick Donaldson said all seven board members had dinner on Wednesday with Kilgore and Bart Anderson, the finalist from Columbus.
However, he said, they didn't gather in a public meeting to vote on going into a closed session to approve Kilgore's hiring on Thursday.
State law also requires that public boards vote in a public meeting to hold a session outside of the public's view.
Donaldson did announce on Monday during a televised board work session that the board would have a closed meeting to interview Kilgore and Anderson over the next two to three days. Virginia law allows boards to announce in open meetings that superintendent interviews will occur within 15 days. However, Thursday's meeting was to hire candidates, not to interview candidates.
"To our knowledge, we did it right," he said.
School Board attorney Leonard Wallin was not available for comment Thursday.
Kilgore had the support of many teachers in the school system. They said she was familiar with issues the school system faced and she was someone who would stay in the job for a long time.
The importance of that support is not lost on Kilgore, who said one of her responsibilities as superintendent will be to continue earning their support.
"I've worked here for 11 years and I've gotten to know a lot of the teachers," she said. "I know their enthusiasm and the seriousness with which they take their work."
On Thursday, Christopher Newport University President Paul Trible described Kilgore as "knowledgeable, responsive and focused on getting results."
The two worked for the past six months on a two-week program that will provide college-level courses, leadership and community service training to 25 rising seniors from Newport News' five high schools.
The program, which begins in June, will be at CNU and the students will live on campus part of the time.
Kilgore was instrumental in getting the program started, according to Trible, who said he looks forward to developing more partnerships with Newport News schools now that she is superintendent.
"I'm very bullish about opportunities to expand and enhance the relationship between CNU and the Newport News Public Schools under her leadership," Trible said.
Kilgore said she is looking forward to a joint project between the school system and Old Dominion University that will provide a teacher quality center for teachers.
"I'm very excited," Kilgore said. "We're working together to a make a difference in the talent pool."
Copyright (c) 2007, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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