LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — The superintendent search is over. The Laurel County Board of Education will announce the new superintendent for the Laurel County School District at special called meeting today, Friday, April 27.  

Doug Bennett, director of instruction of the Whitley Board of Education and former principal of Whitley North Elementary was one of five finalists selected by the superintendent screening committee.  The six-member committee reviewed the qualifications of 22 applications for Laurel County’s superintendent and made their final recommendations to the board on March 26.  Bennett’s resume lists various academic positions held such as a guidance counselor, Spanish and English teacher and wrestling coach at Whitley County High School.  Bennett is exemplary of the type of qualified candidates the Superintendent Screening Committee was searching for during a screening process.

Other candidates eyed by the screening committee included Robert Fannin, assistant superintendent for Shelby County Public Schools; Kevin Hub, assistant superintendent of Madison County Schools; Randy Leger, assistant superintendent of Laurel County Schools; and Marvin Welch, assistant superintendent/chief operations officer of Madison County Schools.  

All five candidates had “extensive administrative experience,” said superintendent screening committee spokesperson PJ Bowman.  

The superintendent screening committee, appointed in February, also included board representative Ed Jones, teacher representatives Wendell Worley and Bobbie Huff, principal representative Vicki Jones and classified employee representative Jim Kennedy.

Board Chairman Charles “Bud” Stuber said it is expected the superintendent for Laurel County should have successful leadership skills and should be able to effectively communicate on all levels.  Board member Ed Jones commented that in his 20 years of serving on the board he’s never seen so many qualified candidates.

“Our Tier One criteria for board was a high level of academic achievement,” Stuber said.

The board will meet in a special called meeting to announce the next superintendent at 9 a.m. at the Laurel County Board of Education, located at 718 North Main Street.



mmccrarey@sentinel-echo.com