April 4, 2018
By JAMES EVANS
Rutherford County Schools
Bill Spurlock, the current principal of Oakland High School in Murfreesboro, will become the next Rutherford County Director of Schools on July 1, 2018, the Rutherford County Board of Education voted April 4.
The Board voted 5-2 to begin contract negotiations with Spurlock, who has served as principal of Oakland High School since 2008.
The negotiated contract will be brought to the Board for a vote at a special-called School Board meeting on Wednesday, April 11, beginning at 5 p.m. The meeting will be open to the public, streamed live on YouTube and broadcast taped-delayed on Comcast Channel 19, which is typical.
The Board began the search process in February and hired the Tennessee School Boards Association to assist with the initial search and screening of applicants for the position. A total of 15 applicants applied for the director’s job and four were identified as finalists, including Spurlock, Central Magnet School Principal Dr. John Ash, and Richard Zago, the district’s assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.
The fourth finalist, Dr. Anne Garrett of North Carolina, withdrew her name from consideration during the selection process.
Current Director of Schools Don Odom has announced he will retire June 30, 2018, after serving as an educator with Rutherford County for 50 years. He has served as the director since 2012.