NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – The search continues for the New Hanover County School Board as they navigate the next steps in hiring an interim superintendent.

It comes after the board unanimously voted to terminate former Superintendent Dr. Charles Foust’s contract on June 2. The motion passed 5-0, with board members Stephanie Kraybill and Josie Barnhart not in attendance.

The vote came on the same night the board learned details of a climate survey of school staff that came back overwhelmingly negative. The full presentation can be found here.

Now, board members are looking for a fresh start with a new superintendent at the helm.

“Hopefully we can get someone in that’s gonna be a consensus builder and get us to really listen to what this district needs and improve student outcomes. That’s the whole goal,” Board Member Stephanie Walker said.

After a three hour meeting Tuesday, Chairman Pete Wildeboer announced the board will begin interviewing candidates in the near future, before hearing feedback from school staff at a town hall meeting on August 13.

“That opportunity is going to be amazing for us to be able to hear their voices and then go forward and put those into how we choose our next superintendent,” Vice Chair Melissa Mason said.

Mason said, while the pressure is on, the board isn’t rushing this.

“We are taking our time. We are really being introspective and looking at the candidates that we have I think that we will be able to make the best decision without it being rushed,” Mason said.

The board plans to have an interim superintendent in place by the start of the school year on August 27.

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