School officials offer top job to McCary

By Carey Phillips and Lynn Hotaling

Sources close to Jackson County's School Board indicated Tuesday that the board's choice to replace retiring Superintendent Frank Burrell is Mack McCary, 53, who is currently assistant superintendent of Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Schools. The announcement is expected to come tonight (Thursday) during a 6 p.m. school board meeting.

Board Chairman Martha Queen confirmed that board members had reached consensus and extended an offer to their top choice.

Queen would neither confirm or deny the board's selection of McCary, one of two candidates called back Monday (Nov. 6) for a second interview; however, McCary confirmed the offer Wednesday morning and indicated he would accept.

"I am thrilled at the prospect of coming to Jackson County," McCary said.

"McCary, who holds degrees from Harvard and Yale, grew up in the Alabama foothills and said his father always wanted to move to higher mountains.

I feel like I've reached the pinnacle," he said.

Local school officials Oct. 30 talked with five candidates, including McCary and the other finalist, Rowan County-Salisbury Associate Superintendent Howard Hurt, but reached no decision at that time. The applicants interviewed Oct. 30 were the third set of candidates to meet with Jackson County's school board since the search for a new superintendent began last May.

Gary Steppe, superintendent of Cherokee County schools, declined the job last month, prompting the board to hold the third round of interviews. Three local administrators - Arlin Middleton, Sue Nations and Lib Balcerek - were among six candidates interviewed in August.

The position was re-advertised in September, and more than 20 new candidates applied. Steppe was among the first group interviewed from the second set of applicants; the five interviewed Oct. 30 also applied during the second round.

Back to Archive: 11/09/00.