NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A public meeting held Thursday night to discuss the search for a new school superintendent in Newport News had just five people — including Mayor Phillip Jones — in attendance.
The meeting lasted 12 minutes.
The city's school board is asking for public input as the search continues for the division's next superintendent.
It's expected to be a lengthy process that will be overseen by the Virginia School Board Association after the previous superintendent, Dr. George Parker III, was fired in response to the Jan. 6 shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School.
Police say Zwerner was shot by a 6-year-old student. She is suing Newport News school officials for $40 million, and the student's mother has been charged with felony child neglect and a misdemeanor related to leaving the firearm accessible to a child.
TIMELINE: Everything we know about the shooting at Richneck and the aftermath
Thursday's meeting at at Menchville High School was the first of four public hearings. NNPS and other members of the community were invited to share their thoughts on what qualities they want to see in a future leader.
RELATED: Mother of 6-year-old boy who shot Richneck Elem. teacher posts bond after being taken into custody
“There's nobody here,” said Fred Sawyer a Newport News parent.
Parents like Sawyer, whose wife is also an NNPS teacher, said he wants a superintendent who will go beyond just listening.
“We need a supervisor that doesn't have an ego complex and someone who's willing to listen to parents first and foremost,” Sawyer said.
Elizabeth Smoot, a Newport News public school teacher, also attended. While she didn't speak from the podium, she told News 3's Kelsey Jones whoever is selected needs to be supportive, as well.
“We need someone that will come to the different schools and really focus on what's happening in the classrooms with the teachers," Smoot said.
Dr. James Graves, the president of the Newport News Education Association, said he wants a superintendent who doesn’t just have open ears, but also an open mind when it comes to concerns from staff and parents.
“The teacher and staff of the union been saying that they want a superintendent that's approachable and someone who is compassionate about what they're going through," Graves said. "They want someone who doesn't care about the positive numbers, but also cares about the right and wrong about what's going on in our schools."
The board will take input from Tuesday's meeting and come up with a list of qualifications, then hand it over to the Virginia School Board Association by the end of the month.
The school board recently launched an online survey so the public can rank their top preferences and personal characteristics they want to see in a new superintendent. Board Chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law said more than 1,000 people participated.
MORE: Newport News School Board launches survey to gather public input on next superintendent
But Sawyer believes taking a survey just isn't enough.
"People need to come to these meetings, or nothing is going to really change," he said.
The school division hopes to have its new superintendent in place by the start of the 2023-24 school year.
The next public meeting will be held on Monday, April 17 at 6 p.m. at Woodside High School.
