Saturday, July 21, 2007

The story on Mooneyhan

Mark Hebert from WHAS TV reports:

Retired Shelby County school superintendent Leon Mooneyhan tells me he is "negotiating with the state school board to be the interim education commissioner."

Mooneyhan says he's been in talks with board chairman Keith Travis since tuesday. Mooneyhan is currently working for the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative based in Shelbyville. But he was the longtime head of Shelby County schools.

He would have the support of several education groups, but maybe not everyone in the Kentucky Department of Education if he takes the interim job.

Mooneyhan says he realizes that the state school board has been fractured by the Barbara Erwin hiring fiasco. He says his job as interim commissioner would be bringing the board back together and getting the Education Department staff in sync with the board's policies.

Mooneyhan says he expects the state board to have a special meeting and name an interim next week...

...The board is also searching for a new commissioner. Sources tell me that several high ranking state officials are talking to, or plan to talk to, Stu Silberman, the superintendent of Fayette County Schools. Silberman has said he doesn't want the job and will honor his commitment to Lexington students and parents. But sources say there is pressure on him to change his mind.

The only Kentuckian who made the final cut and interviewed in the board's first search was H.M. Snodgrass. Snodgrass worked in the Department of Education before retiring from as head of the old Harrodsburg Independent school district when it merged with Mercer County.

Snodgrass told me he won't reapply for the job but might consider it if the board calls him.

No comments: