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Five Candidates Vie for McKenzie Director

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McKENZIE (MARCH 22) — The number of candidates for the director of McKenzie Special School District was narrowed to five from seven during the March 22 workshop meeting of the Board of Education. Seven candidates were individually interviewed in a brief 15- to 30-minute interview in front of the seven members of the Board.

Remaining candidates are three local candidates, who automatically advance to the final round of interviews. They are Dorethea Royle, principal of McKenzie Middle School, Kelly Spivey, principal of McKenzie High School, and Josh Kee, assistant principal at McKenzie Elementary School. All are McKenzie graduates.

The other two remaining candidates are Dr. Justin Barden, principal at Lewis County High School, and Christopher Davis, deputy director of Haywood County Schools.

Eliminated were Dr. Michael Booker, of the Nashville schools but originally from Jackson, and Betsi Foster, assistant director of Weakley County Schools, where she has also applied for the director’s position.

After narrowing the search for the McKenzie Special School District Director of Schools position, five candidates will spend time touring MSSD, meeting the faculty and staff and visiting community members prior to an interview. Candidates will adhere to the following schedule:

April 3: Mr. Josh Kee

April 5: Ms. Dorethea Royle

April 6: Mr. Kelly Spivey

11:30 a.m. — Meet with the MSSD Central Office staff

Noon — Lunch

1:30 p.m. — Meet with the Chief of Police and Mayor of McKenzie

2 p.m. — Tour Facilities

3:30 p.m. — Meet the Faculty and Staff (MHS Theater)

5:30 p.m. — Dinner with School Board Members

6:30 p.m. — Interview (MHS Theater) — Open to the Public

April 10: Dr. Justin Barden

April 13: Mr. Christopher Davis

11:30 a.m. — Meet with the MSSD Central Office staff

Noon — Lunch

1 p.m. — Meet with the Chief of Police and Mayor of McKenzie

1:30 p.m. — Tour Facilities

3:30 p.m. — Meet the Faculty and Staff (MHS Theater)

5:30 p.m. — Dinner with the School Board Members

6:30 p.m. — Interview with Board (MHS Theater) — Open to the Public

Lynn Watkins is retiring after 14 years as director of schools. His tenure ends June 30, 2023.

Each of the seven candidates interviewed in a ‘meet and greet’ session with each candidate asked nearly identical questions. Each was told the salary range is $90,000 to $110,000 plus benefits.

Kee said he is a 1995 graduate at McKenzie, 1999 at Bethel, and earned a masters and administrative endorsement. He has taught 23 years at McKenzie, taught science, and coached various sports and was the first coach of the MMS baseball team. He married Courtney Chadwick, a McKenzie graduate and teacher at McKenzie Elementary School. They have two sons, Cameron and Carter.

Barden said he is the principal at Lewis County High School and has taught in Humboldt and Dickson County. He has coached football and baseball. He grew up in Jackson and now is the principal at a school similar in size to McKenzie.

Ms. Royle said she was reared in McKenzie and was the fifth of 10 children. She joined the military, went to college and has taught high school and middle school before returning to McKenzie. She has a son in the University of North Carolina and is now rearing a 13-year-old girl and serves as the girl’s legal guardian. She is in her tenth year as principal at MMS.

Davis said he is 40 years old, single, reared his nephew, coached several sports, has a masters degree from Bethel, and has served in education for 16 years. He taught special education in middle school, was the principal of a high school, and is now deputy director of schools.

Spivey is a 1989 graduate of McKenzie, married to Mary, a teacher at McKenzie Elementary School, and they have two children - both MHS graduates. He has a bachelor’s degree from Murray State and a masters degree. He taught and coached 10 years at Lewis County, was administrator and coach at South Fulton for five years and is now principal at McKenzie High, where he has served four years.