THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

The school board grilled four finalists for the Selma School District on Wednesday as a group of about 40 people watched and asked questions.

The interviews, held in a conference room at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library, lasted about 1 1/2 hours each per candidate.

Those interviewed were Drs. Yvette Richardson, Donald G. Jefferson, Tyrone W. Smith, and Kenneth P. Oliver.

Brenda Seals, a candidate from Virginia, backed out of the selection process by letter Tuesday before interviews began.

During the first 15 minutes, job candidates made presentations. They were as varied as the candidate’s background.

Richardson, who is from Fairfield, used a computer presentation and outline.

Dr. Jefferson of Selma sat down and conversed with board members and the audience about his personal motivations for seeking the position.

After the presentation, each school board member asked a question of the candidate. The questions ranged from issues of school district finances to no pass and no play rules to the Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind initiative to parental involvement in schools.

The candidates were scored on a 1 to 5 ranking with 1 the lowest and 5 the highest score.

School officials said board members will tally all scores, evaluate the candidate’s presentation before making a final decision. Other issues taken into consideration are interpersonal skills, the individual’s vision for the system and passion for the school system.