By By Kerry Whipple-Bean
The Escambia County Board of Education next month will interview all five candidates who applied to replace retiring Superintendent Melvin F. "Buck" Powell.
Resumes for the candidates – three from in the school system and two outside – will be reviewed by a consulting firm to make sure they meet the minimum requirements, board attorney Broox Garrett said Thursday at the board's regular meeting in Flomaton.
"They'll make sure there are not skeletons in the closet, so to speak," Garrett said.
The board will interview the candidates over two days in public sessions, at 4:30 p.m. April 10 and 3:30 p.m. April 11 at the Flomaton High School Auditorium.
Powell announced in January that he would retire as of July 1.
In other business:
RPM – Redemption's Promise Ministry – is an off-campus religious instruction program that takes place during the school day.
Johnson said the program teaches children character education, and teachers have had high praise for the program.
"At this point, I think we'd probably be mad with you if you didn't" continue the program, board chairman Michael Goolsby said after Johnson asked for an extension of the program.
RPM is legal, its literature says, because it is voluntary, students have their parents' permission, the classes are held off-campus and transportation and liability are the responsibility of the program sponsor.
RPM is a nondenominational Christian program.
"It's really starting to grow," she said, noting that is an achievement after expenses related to Hurricane Ivan.
"As you know, we have a (pay) raise going into effect in the coming year, and this will be more than enough to handle that and another active hurricane season, although we hope we don't have to worry about that."