COURTLAND—With the pending retirement of Southampton County Public Schools Superintendent Charles Turner, two current administrators are qualified for the position, said school board member Roberta Naranjo, who is the chairwoman of the search committee.

Neither Dr. Tim Kelly, assistant superintendent, nor Dr. Wayne Smith, executive director of administration personnel, returned a phone call to The Tidewater News to talk about their possible interest in the job.

Naranjo said she does not know if Kelly or Smith will apply.

“I have no idea of their intentions,” she said.

Turner during the November School Board meeting announced his retirement after 45 years of service, including 13 years as the top administrator. Turner plans to leave on June 30.

The school board is following guidelines set by the Virginia School Board Association for its search for a new superintendent, but has not yet set a range of pay, Naranjo said. Other school board members on the search committee are Deborah Goodwyn, Chris Smith and Denise Bunn.

Beginning today through Wednesday, Jan. 18, surveys related to the search will be available at the Cecil W. Rawls Library in Courtland and on the school district’s website, www.southampton.k12.va.us.

It will help us know “what we should be looking for,” said Naranjo. “Not only do you have children and parents, you have faculty members (wishing to provide input).”

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Wigwam at the Southampton Technical Career Center. Again, it will be for input from residents and staff.

Applications will be taken from Jan. 23 through Feb. 24. Interviews will be conducted in March and April, and an announcement of the new superintendent should be made in April or May.

The job is being advertised on the Virginia School Board Association website, which gets national attention, Naranjo said. It also will be advertised on the school district’s website.