PEA RIDGE — A pool of 41 candidates for the superintendent of Pea Ridge schools has been narrowed to eight with six alternates, according to Dr. Paul Hewitt, aid to the board.
Hewitt and Dr. Roland Smith, interim superintendent, narrowed the list of candidates and presented the selected ones to the board Tuesday night.
The top eight candidates for the superintendent position are:
◊Dr. Larry Ben, superintendent, Decatur, Ark.
◊Dr. Richard Page, superintendent, Neosho, Mo.
◊Dwayne Newman, Monte Vista, Colo.
◊Dr. Michael Murphy, superintendent, St. Clair, Mo.
◊ Wayne Fawcett, superintendent, Drew Central School District, Monticello, Ark.
◊Dr. Jon Whittemore, superintendent, Jasper, Texas
◊Rick Neal, principal, Pea Ridge, Ark., High School
◊Dr. Debi Crawford, assistant superintendent, Hawkins, Texas
The six alternates are:
◊D. B. Merrill, superintendent, Hilldale School District, Muskogee, Okla.
◊John Parrish, superintendent, Booneville, Ark.
◊Dr. Andrea Kelly, superintendent, Gravette, Ark.
◊Dr. Delena Gammill, Arkansas Leadership Association (former superintendent)
◊Jimmy Cunningham, superintendent, Hampton, Ark.
◊Gary Wayman, superintendent,Dewitt, Ark.
The superintendent’s position became available after the resignation of superintendent Mike Van Dyke, who was hired July 2003 and resigned June 30, 2011.
Jimmy Cunningham was offered the superintendent last year May 16, but declined the next day stating: “The salary (offered at $100,000) wasn’t as much as what I’m making now.”
On June 2, the board, in a special meeting, elected to hire an interim superintendent.
One other alternate, Gary Wayman, was the second of two candidates considered last year.
Wayman was principal and athletic director at Pea Ridge 1997-2003 and has been the superintendent at Junction City and DeWitt, Ark., schools.
News, Pages 1 on 02/15/2012