3 FINALISTS PICKED FOR TOP SCHOOL JOB

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 26, 1993                   TAG: 9301260267
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
3 FINALISTS PICKED FOR TOP SCHOOL JOB
School administrators from Fairfax County, Charlottesville and Richmond were named Monday as finalists for the Roanoke school superintendent's post.
The Roanoke School Board announced at a news conference that the three finalists are: E. Wayne Harris, an area superintendent for the Fairfax County school system; Herbert R. Cottrill, assistant superintendent for Charlottesville schools; and, as reported Saturday in the Roanoke Times & World-News, Willis B. McLeod, associate superintendent for Richmond schools and former superintendent of the Petersburg school system.
The board has spent the past month paring a list of 44 applicants for Superintendent Frank Tota's position. Earlier this month, the list was narrowed to nine semifinalists. The list was cut to three last week.
The three "have excellent qualifications in public education," Board Chairman Finn Pincus said. "We wanted someone with a good deal of experience and academic qualifications.
"These are the ones who rose to the top."
Harris, 47, is an area superintendent working directly with Fairfax County Superintendent Robert R. Spillane. Born and raised in Salem, Harris holds a bachelor's degree from Shepherd College in West Virginia and master's degrees from Colorado State University and Harvard. He expects to receive his doctorate from Harvard in June.
Cottrill, 59, has 30 years of experience in public education - the last 20 in Charlottesville. He holds a bachelor's degree from Fairmont State College in West Virginia and a master's degree from West Virginia University. He has done doctoral work at American University, the University of Virginia, the University of Maryland and Webster College in Missouri.
McLeod, 50, has worked as a teacher, principal and administrator. He holds a bachelor's degree from Fayetteville State University and a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Virginia.
"We're excited by the diversity of the candidates and the richness of talent and experience," board member Wendy O'Neil said. "It's exciting that so many people would find the Roanoke educational system so excellent that they would want to come and be part of it."
Applications for the position came from as far as California and Alaska. Four of the applicants were women. Four were black.
Two of the finalists - Harris and McLeod - are black.
State law requires that the board have a new superintendent under contract by March 1. Pincus said he expects a selection to be made early next month.
Tota will retire at the end of the 1992-93 school year after 12 years in the post. His successor will take over July 1.
The three finalists have been invited back to Roanoke for a second interview and meetings with school employees, the Roanoke Central Council Parent-Teacher Association and business and community leaders. Cottrill's visit has been scheduled for Thursday, Harris' for Monday and McLeod's for Feb. 4.
A public reception has been scheduled for each of those days, from 5:15-6:15 p.m. at Forest Park Elementary School.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB