Super's evaluation postponed

With another election looming, the Cherokee County School Board will wait until February to evaluate superintendent Dr. Bill James.

The school board does an annual evaluation as part of the superintendent's contract. They were originally scheduled to take up the issue again in August.

James has been the school superintendent since February of 2001. His contract runs through June 30, 2010.

State lawmakers passed a law last year to move school board elections from November to August. This year's election will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12.

School trustees voted unanimously Monday to postpone the evaluation until February.

In making the motion, board member Sandra Greene said she felt the district should give the new school board at least six months before the next evaluation.

Up for election are board members Greene, Billy Blackwell, Willie Crosby and chairman Donnie Lee Smith.

At Monday's meeting, Blackwell announced he will run for re-election.

County voters will elect a new board member to fill the District 8 seat left vacant by the death of Ola Copeland last October.

Smith remembers being asked to participate in a superintendent evaluation shortly after he was elected in 1996.

"I had never been on the school board before," Smith said. "I thought it was just stupid to have to do a superintendent evaluation at that time."

The superintendent is the only district employee directly hired by the school board.

School trustees made no changes in the current evaluation format, which is tied directly to the district's 5- year strategic plan.