Mathews Accepts Georgia Job

By Amber Lester Thursday, March 25, 2010

Williamsburg-James City County Schools Superintendent Gary Mathews was named the new superintendent of schools in Newton County, Ga. on Thursday morning.

Mathews will start his new job on July 1, after five years with WJCC schools. He will replace Steve Whatley, who will retire on June 30.

“I am honored to have served as your school superintendent over the past five years in WJCC,” Mathews said in an e-mail. “We have made substantial gains in the area of student achievement, opened new schools, infused classrooms with state-of-the-art technology, created countless partnerships with community groups, increased shared services with the county and city, instituted a major health initiative for students and staff, accomplished regional accreditation and duly received recognition for award-winning budgets, diversity initiatives, technology, schools of excellence and distinguished Title I schools.”

He finished by saying that most of all, he leaves with a sincere love for the WJCC school system and community.

Mathews announced his intention to leave WJCC in November, telling the school board he wanted to find a job closer to his and his wife’s aging parents in Louisiana. Just before he shared his plans with the board, he found out he was not chosen to become Mississippi’s next state superintendent of education; he was one of four finalists for the job. He was also a finalist for a superintendent opening for West Feliciana Parish Schools in Louisiana; he withdrew from contention the night before he was set to interview with the school board.
Before coming to WJCC, Mathews served as a superintendent in Texas, Missouri, Louisiana and Florida. He began his career in 1976 as a high school teacher at J.F.K. High School in New Orleans.

The WJCC school board voted Tuesday to enlist the help of the Virginia School Board Association to find the next superintendent by June 30, 2011, when Mathews’ contract was set to expire. The national search will cost $10,000 plus fees; the VSBA will assist with every element of the search, from creating the job ad to drafting interview questions.

Board Chair James Nickols said the board will now have to consider whether it wants to rush the search in an attempt to find a superintendent by July, appoint an interim superintendent from within the current administration or find an interim superintendent through the VSBA.

He said starting the national search immediately would be difficult, because the VSBA is not available to meet until May. “We don’t want to rush this,” he said. “There are ample amounts of people available throughout the Commonwealth who could serve in the interim capacity.”

He also doubts many superintendents will be looking to jump into a new role as early as this summer. “I would suspect that many superintendents looking for changes would have already made decisions, as Dr. Mathews just did,” he said. “That’s going to have to be a conversation the board will have about how to proceed.”

Virginia code states a school board must appoint a division superintendent within 180 days after a vacancy occurs. Any school board that has not appointed a superintendent within 120 days of a vacancy has to submit documentation to the state Superintendent of Public Instruction that proves a search is ongoing.

Newton County schools, located about an hour east of Atlanta, have an enrollment of more than 19,000 students attending 24 schools. The division has 13 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools, two theme schools, one alternative school and one charter school. In the past eight years, nine schools were constructed and existing schools underwent major renovations, according to the Newton County schools’ Web site Newton County school board voted unanimously to offer a contract to Mathews at a special morning meeting. “Dr. Mathews brings with him years of experience, enthusiasm and leadership,” said Cathy Dobbs, chair of the Newton County Board of Education, in a press release. “He was clearly the best person to fill this very important position and we are looking forward to welcoming him to Newton County.”

The Newton County school board voted unanimously to offer a contract to Mathews at a special morning meeting. “Dr. Mathews brings with him years of experience, enthusiasm and leadership,” said Cathy Dobbs, chair of the Newton County Board of Education, in a press release. “He was clearly the best person to fill this very important position and we are looking forward to welcoming him to Newton County.”

In the same press release, Mathews said he was attracted to Newton County’s “excellent reputation and desire for continuous improvement” and its location within one day’s drive of his aging father and mother-in-law and his five adult children: Kelly, Jason, Paul, Danielle and Wes.

He added that he enjoyed a drive through the county while he was visiting for his interview.

“In talking with county residents in restaurants and at the hotel, I’m most pleased to report that nine out of the 10 people I questioned gave the school system a big thumbs-up for quality,” he said. “When your citizens say good things about the work you do, that’s important.”

WJCC Assistant Superintendent of Operations Bob Becker will also leave June 30. He will become the new superintendent of Pulaski County schools in southwest Virginia. His position will not be filled. Read more here.