Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Tom Shelton, current superintendent in Daviess County, is one of three finalists for the top job in Fayette County Public Schools. (Photo: Tammy L. Lane)

Daviess County’s Tom Shelton was the second of three superintendent finalists hosted this week by Fayette County Public Schools, which is seeking to replace Stu Silberman.

Shelton, who followed Silberman in his current position, noted that while they share values and philosophies such as having high expectations for all students, they don’t approach every situation the same way.

“Stu and I come from the same district, but we are two different people,” he said Wednesday.

In a 40-minute public forum, Shelton fielded two dozen questions submitted beforehand by the community. The session in Norsworthy Auditorium was taped by Channel 13 for rebroadcast.*

He reiterated the value of strong local partnerships and Lexington’s record of supporting education. He also noted how in Daviess County he works to involve families through training by the Prichard Committee and parent forums, saying, “We try to make sure they feel like they’re welcome in schools.”

Shelton didn’t shy away from questions about statewide assessment and accountability, both of which he deemed necessary to ensuring quality classroom instruction. “As educators, we have to be accountable,” he said. “We are dealing with students, and we’re dealing with public money.”

Whether instructing gifted students or children with special needs, a district must provide the appropriate resources – “The real focus has to be looking at each individual child,” he said.

Shelton also advocates field-based learning and other alternative programs to engage students and reduce the dropout rate. “I like to call it ‘non-traditional education’ because it comes in a variety of forms,” he said.

If selected as the next superintendent, Shelton said people should expect to see him stopping by classrooms and attending arts events and ballgames. He also has an open-door policy and never turns down a meeting, saying, “Everybody has the right to be heard.”

After the forum and dinner, the Fayette County Board of Education conducted Shelton’s formal interview. Earlier in the day, the candidate spoke with some 200 employees, students, parents and community members in small groups. He also took a handful of questions from the media.

While Shelton’s current district has about 12,000 students compared to Fayette’s 38,000, he doesn’t consider the challenges and opportunities here in terms of numbers. “The job is basically the same no matter what size district you’re in,” he said, noting the importance of community support and the proper allocation of resources to ensure students’ success.

He described himself as a collaborator who likes to bring people together to figure out “Where do we go from here?” He also praised the school board and other leaders for laying a strong foundation in Fayette County and vowed to press on toward continued advancement.

“You have to keep the momentum going,” he said.

As for why he applied for this job, Shelton said the possibility intrigued him because of his long-time friendship with Silberman and family ties in Lexington.

“Fayette County is an impressive school district that continues to make progress,” he said.

On the air

* Channel 13 will replay Shelton’s news conference at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. Thursday, and his forum will be broadcast at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday. For those without access to cable, Channel 13 programming streams live.

Bio highlights

Tom Shelton

• Current position: Daviess County Public Schools superintendent
• Age: 47
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, master’s degree in business administration, and a Rank I in educational administration from Murray State University; doctoral degree in educational leadership from the University of Louisville; graduate certificate program in executive educational leadership from Harvard University
• Experience: Sixteen years in educational leadership, including three years as director of business and finance, six years as assistant superintendent for finance and operations, and the past seven years as superintendent
• Family: Married with two children

Coming up

The final candidate for the top administrative position in FCPS is Clark County Superintendent Elaine Farris, who follows the same schedule Thursday. The Fayette County Board of Education will then begin deliberations early Friday.

Share your impressions

Everyone is welcome to submit comments about the finalists by emailing superinput@fayette.kyschools.us. Messages will be forwarded to the school board members.