Dr. Kirk Kelly Named Interim Hamilton Co. Schools Superintendent

The three candidates for the interim superintendent interviewed with the Hamilton County School Board Thursday… The three picked numbers to decide who would go first… Shaun Sadler opened and immediately found the interview more challenging than expected…

“There are a few more distractions here than I expected,”

Board member Steve Highlander brought up Sadler’s military experience as a positive trait… casting Sadler as an outsider.
Others saw this as a negative.

“I’m straight up from and honest about everything,”

Up next, Jill Levine fielded a question asked of all the interviewees… how to deal with teacher morale…

“You know when teachers have high morale when they feel successful.”

Dr. Kirk Kelly was the final candidate to step to the microphone…

Dr. Kelly already has spent years working for the Hamilton County Department of Education. He understands that this interview process is bigger than any of the individual candidates.

“Regardless what happens tonight, we have to open the schools tomorrow,”

After all 3 candidates had the opportunity to address the board, a vote was taken.

“Joe Galloway casts his vote for Kirk Kelly.”

Dr. Kelly received the 5 votes he needed to be named the new interim Superintendent. After the vote, Dr. Kelly said he is honored to have this challenge…..

“Happy with the process, but really honored with having such a burden of trying to make this school system better, so that is going to be my challenge.”

One of Dr. Kelly’s first goals is to visit all of the schools in Hamilton County in his first month as interim.