Troup County should be able to attract excellent candidates to become schools superintendent, says an official with an agency that will help with the search.

“You have an excellent reputation and I think a great place to live, and I think you’re going to get a lot of high-quality applicants,” Tony Arasi with the Georgia School Boards Association told the county school board.

The board voted Thursday to use the association in finding a new superintendent.

“We have a void we have to fill,” said system attorney John Taylor.

Superintendent Ed Smith retired at the end of June. He will return in August for a three-month stint as interim superintendent while a successor is sought.

The school system has used the state agency to find its last two superintendents, Taylor said.

Instead of putting all the work and stress of searching and selecting candidates on school employees and officials, GSBA will use its resources combined with information given by school officials to search for a new superintendent.

Developing and sending out announcements, responding to requests, handling paperwork, telling those who weren’t selected and more will all be placed in the agency’s hands.

“We’ve used the process in the past, and it certainly has served us well with the superintendents that we’ve had,” board chairman John Darden said.

The process will cost the school system $8,000 plus expenses, said Arasi, director of professional development for GSBA.

“This has been a busy year. This might surprise you, but it is a very challenging time for principals, superintendents and school boards,” he said. “The number of people looking for superintendents is as high as it has been if not more so.”

School officials will establish a list of criteria for the new superintendent, including characteristics required and qualifications needed. They’ll also create a timeline for GSBA to work with and prepare for two rounds of interviews.

“We recommend as official code of Georgia states that you announce as many as three candidates that are being considered,” Arasi said, with those being considered advancing to a second round of interviews.

Candidates who weren’t chosen will be notified after the final few are chosen. Those not selected as superintendent will be notified after the second round of interviews. The school board then will hire a superintendent.

GSBA handles about 16 superintendent searches a year, Arasi said. Troup County’s is no different, but interest has already been shown by some candidates for the spot that will be vacated Oct. 29 by Smith after the three-month search is completed.

“I’ve already had four e-mails and phone calls about your district,” Arasi said.

Trey Wood can be reached at twood @ lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.