Richmond County picks new superintendent

The Richmond County School System has a new superintendent.

Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw was unanimously voted in as superintendent of schools during a called board meeting Thursday. He was offered and accepted a 34-month contract.

Bradshaw served as deputy superintendent of Richmond County until he retired last year. He applied for the superintendent position in 2014 before Dr. Angela Pringle was hired.

To become superintendent, Bradshaw is leaving his position as chief operations officer of Hamilton County Schools in Chattanooga, Tenn.

His first day will be Sept. 5, with compensation and benefit calculation beginning Sept. 1. Pringle will leave the position Aug. 30.

Board member Marion Barnes made the motion to hire Bradshaw. According to the motion, there is a 10-day waiting period before the contract is effective, during which time he will continue to work in Chattanooga.

"I’m making this motion with a heart broken and I’m making this motion with gratitude," Barnes said. "One person’s leaving, one person's coming, and I love both of them to death, so we know we’re going to be alright."

Details of his contract have not been released. As chief operations officer of Hamilton County School District, Bradshaw's salary was $131,225.16.

Joe Wingate, chairman of the Hamilton County School Board, said he congratulated Bradshaw on his new position.

"He brought a level of service to the position that he was in here that had not been here before," he said. "He was about solving problems and solving them in a manner that would satisfy folks."

During the meeting, Bradshaw signed his contract with board president Jimmy Atkins and vice president Venus Cain. His family attended the meeting with him.

"I'm humbled by this opportunity and first of all I want to thank the Board of Education for their vote of confidence in me and I want to say to you that I will not let you down," he said. "Most importantly I look forward to serving the boys and girls of the Richmond county school system and I commit to you today that we will continue making this school system the best in the state and the best in the nation."

As deputy superintendent, Bradshaw focused on school safety and transportation, Atkins said. He also hopes the new superintendent has suggestions on the academic curriculum.

The board did not conduct a nationwide search, Atkins said, which could have taken up to two months. Two weeks ago, the board entered executive session to discuss Pringle's resignation, and then began to talk about who would replace her.

"The discussion started around Dr. Bradshaw, it never left from being about Dr. Bradshaw, and in the end we all felt comfortable going out and taking a vote that was unanimous," he said. "We’ve had two weeks to mull it over, we’ve had two weeks to talk to the community, to talk to staff, and it was a unanimous vote again tonight."

Atkins said he looks forward to Bradshaw continuing the work Pringle began.

"We’re ready to have him and his family back in Richmond County, we’re ready for him to get here and get started and continue the success that Dr. Pringle has already laid the groundwork for," he said.