The Greene County Board of Education on Thursday approved the criteria and procedures for use in a search for a new director of schools.

In addition, the board voted to pay consultant Dr. Ted Beach up to $4,000 to assist the board in conducting its search for a replacement for Dr. Joe Parkins, who is retiring when his current contract expires next June 30.

Two board members -- Richard Morrison and Debra Knight -- were absent from the 5 p.m. meeting at the Greeneville-Greene County Center for Technology.

But County School Board Chairman David Johnson noted that both had taken part in a Wednesday workshop meeting at which the board had reached consensus on how to proceed in the search for a new director.

(Please see the Thursday edition of The Greeneville Sun for a report on the workshop or find it online at www.GreenevilleSun.com.)

Johnson said Morrison had a prior engagement that conflicted with Thursday's board meeting and that Knight was ill.

The five remaining board members -- Kathy Austin, Kathy Crawford, Johnson, Rex Hopson and Claude Weems, Jr., voted unanimously to follow existing school board policies for recruiting and hiring a new director of schools and to hire Dr. Beach, whom Johnson described as a "well-respected" retired educator from Johnson City who has more than 40 years of experience.

Dr. Beach told board members during a Wednesday workshop that he had retired last year from the state Department of Education. Also during his career, he has been a teacher, principal and school administrator in both Tennessee and South Carolina.

Beach is to receive the applications submitted by candidates for the director's position beginning Nov. 2 and determine which of the candidates meet all the search criteria, Johnson said on Wednesday.

Applications are to be sent to Dr. Ted Beach at 714 Wilmar Street, Johnson City, TN 37604, the school board announced.

The vacancy announcement notes that candidates for the director's position must have a master's degree (doctorate preferred) and a minimum of five successful years of eductional/administrative experience.

Preference will be given to candidates who have prior and/or current director of schools experience.

Within six months of being hired, the new director must reside in Greene County, according to the announcement.

Along with an application that may be downloaded from the county school system's Web site www.greenek12.org, candidates must submit a formal letter of interest, a current resume, a copy of the candidate's state license, college transcripts, and the names addresses and phone numbers of five professional references.

The board's existing recruitment and selection policy notes that prior to conducting a search, the school board shall develop a job description, a timeline, a process for accepting and reviewing applications and selection procedures.

The recruitment and selection policy notes that the board may invite members of the community, including school system employees, to participate in the process.

The resumes of candidates interviewed by the board "shall be" made available to the public at the school system's central office, according to the policy.

In addition, the selection policy notes that the interview process for four finalists shall include meetings with staff and community groups and an interview by the entire school board in open session.

The selection policy also notes that the board will attempt to select a new director of schools by "unanimous vote," with a "two-thirds majority" vote required to appoint a director. A two-thirds vote of the county school board requires five of the seven members to vote in favor.

A search "timeline" adopted Thursday by the county school board calls for applications to be accepted from Nov. 2 through Jan. 4, 2010.

It also notes the board's director search committee will set the dates for community meetings on Nov. 2.

Between Jan. 4, 2010, and Jan. 27, 2010, the timeline calls for the search committee to review applications for the director of schools post.

On Jan. 27, according to the timeline, the search committee is to recommend eight semifinalists to the full board.

During the board's Wednesday workshop, board members opted to select four finalists from the eight semi-finalists.

Following interviews here in February board members will conduct visits to the finalists' home communities to conduct interviews of community members.

The timeline calls for the board to offer a contract to a candidate on Feb. 22, 2010, and to announce the appointment of a new director on March 1, 2010.

The new director, according to the timeline ,will assume duties on July 1, 2010.