Dr. Barry Carroll cites his love for Huntsville, public education during interview for superintendent slot
HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Dr. Barry Carroll took the hot seat this morning as the Huntsville school board's second candidate for the job of superintendent.
Carroll, who has served as Limestone County's superintendent since 2001, began his career in Tuscaloosa as an assistant principal and principal. From Tuscaloosa, he came to Huntsville and served four years as principal of Ed White Middle School.
Carroll also served as director of secondary education and staff for Huntsville's system before leaving for Limestone County.
His college career can also be traced back to Huntsville, where he earned a bachelor's degree from Alabama A&M University. He earned two master's degrees and his doctorate from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
As Limestone County superintendent, Carroll oversees a system of 8,900 students and 1,100 employees. He earns about $150,000.
When asked about his hiring practices, Carroll said he tries to determine the characteristics of the person the system needs and then sets out to find that person.
"You want to not only get the right person on the bus, but you want to get them in the right seat on the bus," Carroll said.
He said he has seen cases in which a teacher has not fit in one part of the community but fit well in another. He also allows the principals flexibility when it comes to hiring teachers.
Achieving the right person in the right position takes communication, he said.
"I believe in progressive discipline," Carroll said. "Work with them, write them up, help them improve. Every employee deserves to be told their strengths and their weaknesses."
The board also asked how Carroll addresses lagging student achievement and improves students' test scores. He responded that, like Huntsville, Limestone County has had issues with achievement. He said he sat down with principals and administrators and came up with plans that helped students improve their reading scores. When other issues pop up, those then become the focus. He used an analogy he said he learned from a fellow educator.
"Education is like (the arcade game) Whack-a-Mole," Carroll said with a chuckle. "You solve one problem and another one pops up over here."
Despite the achievement issues, the school system has consistently met Adequate Yearly Progress, he said. The graduation rate of students is also on the rise.
Financially, Limestone County has had some of the same issues other systems have had. Nevertheless, the system currently has a operations fund balance of about a month and a half of expenses, Carroll said.
"We're just like everybody in Alabama, we've been through some tough times," Carroll said.
Carroll said his administration met in December with every school's faculty to give a presentation on the financial crisis in education. At the end of the presentation, the faculty members were asked for their input on how the system could save money.
Administrators received more than 400 suggestions.
"Some of the things (they suggested) were absolutely phenomenal," Carroll said.
Carroll pointed out that his staff goes through these steps every year, not just when there is financial crisis in the schools.
When board Vice President Laurie McCaulley asked him about his handling of diverse student bodies, Carroll said he doesn't see differences in his students.
"I just don't see color. I don't see socio-economic difference. It's about caring about the kids," he said. "If you raise standards, you don't raise your standards for just one group. You raise the standards for everyone."
Communication also was a topic that Carroll focused on. He said that all of Limestone's principals have his email address and cell phone number and that he communicates with them all regularly. There is also the system's rapid notification system that notifies teachers and parents when students will not have school due to weather or some other issue.
He said he also uses the system to let the school community know about other topics of interest, such as U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks' visit to Tanner regarding the damage from last week's tornadoes. The information went out to about 32,000 people, he said.
"That really has nothing to do with our school system, other than we've had some parents who have lost their homes," Carroll said. "But I thought they should know."
McCaulley also asked him about his experience dealing with the U.S. Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund regarding his system's status as an integrated school. Like Huntsville, Limestone County was under a court order ending the county's race-based dual education system when Carroll arrived there in 2001.
Under his leadership, the school retained unitary status in 2007. He said the status of being racially equitable hasn't changed much in the system, however.
"We've not done anything dramatic to our system," Carroll said. "It just gives us flexibility."
When allowed to ask his own questions, Carroll told the board he is not afraid to talk about race. He asked McCaulley, the sole black member of the board, what she thinks needs to be done about the racial divide in the community.
"We don't have time to address that issue," McCaulley said, pointing to the 12:30 p.m. end of Carroll's interview.
She did say, however, that she thinks community members are "talking at each other" rather than talking to each other.
"So a start would be coming to the table with an open mind and an open heart," Carroll said.
When asked why he would be the right candidate for Huntsville's superintendent, Carroll said that public education is the "thread that binds us together."
"I believe in it. I'm passionate about it," Carroll said. "I love public education. I love Huntsville. I would give it 110 percent. I would give it all I have to bring it in the right direction."
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Source: By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times
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