The next superintendent in Georgia’s largest school district will need to meet a long list of expectations released by the district Monday.
Channel 2’s Gwinnett County bureau chief Matt Johnson was live outside Gwinnett County School District headquarters, where thousands of people gave their input.
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Gwinnett County is big and diverse. So the profile gives some insight into what the community is looking for in the next leader after the firing of the last one.
“We need someone who is creative,” said Chelsea Hutchings, who has five kids in Gwinnett County Schools, including one in special education.
She’s been pushing the district to focus on students with disabilities.
“We should be thinking about all of the backgrounds that our students come from, all of the obstacles that they have to overcome to even get in the building,” Hutchings said.
On Monday, the district released its superintendent search profile after gathering input from more than 3,000 people including Hutchings.
The document reflects what parents, students and staff say they want in the next leader.
“People really do love their schools, and they are thinking about the next stage of innovation and improvement," said Monica Santana Rosen, Alma Advisory Group CEO.
Most important traits include equitable access for all students, strong communication with families and experience leading large, diverse school systems.
The community also emphasized supporting multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
“What we need is new leadership. Leadership that understands that equity is not a slogan or a buzzword. It is a responsibility,” parent Tanisha Banks said.
The board says the next superintendent must lead nearly 179,000 students and more than 24,000 employees.
For Hutchings, the search comes down to finding someone willing to embrace change.
“We don’t need the status quo,” she said. “If we stick with that, we’re going to continue to decline.”
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