By Haley Mitchell Godwin

The Crenshaw County Board of Education convened for a special called meeting on Thursday at 5 p.m. to interview finalists for the position of superintendent and make a final decision on the appointment. Following careful deliberation, the board selected Ashley Oglesby Catrett as the new superintendent.

From an initial pool of four candidates, the board had previously narrowed its selection to two internal contenders: Doug Bailey and Catrett. After conducting secondary interviews, board members unanimously expressed confidence that both finalists were highly qualified and deeply committed to education.

Board member Sterling Sasser praised both candidates. 

“I think both of our candidates were outstanding, and I would be happy to have either one of them in this role,” Sasser said. “The decision was a lot tougher than we thought it would be with all the candidates, but when it came down to these two, the choice became very hard. I am glad both of them are part of our system.”

During the interview process, board members posed a variety of questions to the candidates, including how they would approach recruiting and hiring qualified teachers, particularly from underrepresented minority groups. Both Catrett and Bailey acknowledged the need for improvement in this area.

“We do a really good job of having Troy University and the Alabamas and the Auburns come into our schools, and our students and teachers see those representatives regularly,” Catrett said. “But our HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are underrepresented in our schools, and I think we need to build stronger relationships and partnerships with them.”

Bailey echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of proactive recruitment efforts.

“We are lucky in that we live close to Troy University, which has a great teacher education program,” Bailey said. “We need to be at their recruiting fairs and others, inviting these students to join our team in Crenshaw County. We must actively attract and recruit minority teachers into our school system and ensure our presence at HBCU recruiting fairs. We want all students to have teachers and administrators they can relate to.”

Both candidates also stressed the importance of identifying and encouraging students with a natural inclination for teaching, as well as inviting alumni in education to return to Crenshaw County to contribute to the local school system.

One of the questions posed during the interviews addressed anticipated challenges over the next five to ten years and strategies for preparation. Bailey highlighted the growing issue of teacher shortages across Alabama, particularly in elementary education. He also expressed concern about the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in education.

“We are already seeing students use AI to complete assignments,” Bailey said. “Within the next ten years, I cannot imagine what that landscape will look like if we don’t stay ahead of technology.”

Catrett spoke on the importance of clear policies, financial preparedness, effective communication and collaboration. 

“We need to strengthen everyone’s understanding of board policies and expectations,” Catrett said. “By identifying potential financial challenges in advance, fostering open communication, and promoting collaboration, we can ensure that everyone’s voice is heard and valued.”

Additional topics covered during the interviews included funding, communication strategies, professional growth and leadership development, and improving test scores.

Board member Forrest Albritton expressed his confidence in the school system’s future saying, “We’re lucky to have them both. They are awesome people, and we can only go up from here.”

In the end, the board determined that Catrett was the best choice to lead the school system into the future. Following her appointment, she expressed appreciation for Bailey and their shared professional relationship.

“We have spoken almost daily since learning that we both applied,” Catrett said. “We agreed early on that we were just going to continue being ourselves. Mr.Bailey has always known that I have great respect and trust in him and I look forward to continuing to work well together. He is an asset to this system, and I am proud to say that he is one of my people. I expect great things ahead.”