Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 25, 1993 TAG: 9302250271
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
MONTGOMERY WIDENS SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH
A Galax native has been added to the list of possible successors to Montgomery County School Superintendent Harold Dodge, who steps down June 30.Two previously identified finalists have been opposed by some Bartlett parents, teachers and principals. During deliberations on those finalists Tuesday night, the board decided to take another look at a third candidate.
The board will interview Herman G. Bartlett Jr., superintendent of Colonial Heights schools, this afternoon. The Colonial Heights School Board reappointed Bartlett as that city's superintendent Tuesday night on a 3-2 vote.
Bartlett will meet with Montgomery residents tonight at 7:30 in the Christiansburg High School auditorium.
One of six semifinalists in Montgomery County's search, Bartlett already has been interviewed once by the School Board.
Bartlett, 48, holds a doctorate in education from Virginia Tech and an educational specialist diploma from the University of Virginia.
He received his bachelor's degree in general science and agriculture education at Tech in 1969 and a master's degree in education in 1973. He was a teacher and intern principal in Blacksburg-area schools from 1971 to 1973.
Bartlett became superintendent of the Colonial Heights school system in 1985. Before that, he was superintendent in Craig County for four years.
Competing with Bartlett are Richard Holzman, who was dismissed as superintendent of the Middletown Township, N.J., schools in September, and Robert Rice, whose last served as a superintendent in 1988 in Anne Arundel County, Md., schools.
Carrie Crawford of New Castle, who was Craig County's School Board chairwoman during Bartlett's tenure, said he had done "an absolutely fantastic" job. "He's really who turned our school system around here in Craig," she said.
Crawford described Bartlett as "very progressive" and "an extremely hard worker." It wasn't unusual to seem him mowing the lawn behind the high school, she said.
Bartlett would roll up his sleeves and take on whatever job needed to be done, Crawford said. "We would have done anything to have kept him."
Earlier this year Bartlett was honored by Executive Educator magazine - along with Dodge - as one of the country's top 100 school managers.
Colonial Heights, south of Richmond, has roughly 2,500 students. Montgomery County has more than 8,000.
Colonial Heights School Board member William C. Reade, who voted against Bartlett's reappointment this week, said he was concerned about the school system's direction, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.
Reade would not comment about Bartlett when contacted Wednesday by this newspaper.
Montgomery County School Board Chairman Roy Vickers said the board has not ruled out either Holzman or Rice and still is hoping to name a new superintendent by March 1. The board will try to meet Friday to make a decision, he said.
Vice Chairman Bob Goncz said the results of visits by board members to communities where Holzman and Rice formerly served produced "extremely positive" results in favor of the two candidates.
Although certain groups in the community have opposed Holzman and Rice, not everyone feels the same way, Goncz said. "It hasn't been only one side as far as support or lack of support for the candidates," he said.