VCS Board Chooses Interim Superintendent

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DeLand, FL - The new interim Superintendent for Volusia County Schools is Tim Egnor. The decision came after the Board reviewed eight applications on Monday, narrowing the choice down to three candidates who had all been individually approved by each member of the Board.

VCSB Chair Carl Persis said the choices were Tim Egnor, most recently serving as the Director of Secondary Curriculum for St. Johns County Schools, Florida from December 2018 through May 2019. He also has 29-years working in the Volusia County School District.

Former Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart, who withdrew her application after being interviewed because legally she isn’t eligible to be hired by the School Board. Under the Florida Retirement System, Stewart isn’t allowed to work for a school district until August - six months after she retired from her role with the state. It would be another six months until she is allowed to collect both retirement and a paycheck from a district.

The third candidate, Tim Huth, who served 13 years as the district’s deputy superintendent. He has been retired since 2010.

The decision came down to which candidate had the most recent useful experience for the job which brought them to Tim Egnor. Persis said the other candidate, Tim Huth, received high praise from all members of the Board but Egnor was offered the job due to his recent experience in higher supervisory positions.

Persis said the Board would like Egnor to begin his duties next week on Tuesday, June 25 as an Administrator on Assignment. The idea is for Egnor to work with current Superintendent Tom Russell and senior staff for three days. Persis said the idea is for Egnor to take over in an official capacity as interim School Superintendent on Monday, July 1.

The search for the permanent School Superintendent is underway, with the School Board hiring the Florida School Board Association to assist in a national search. Persis said the fee for the consultation is $25,000 with travel for consultants and candidates costing extra. The School Board has a workshop scheduled for July 22 to meet with the Florida School Board Association and work out the details and timeline for the new hire. The goal is to fill the position by Thanksgiving with the person hired started in their official capacity no later than the first weekend of January 2020.