City Awaits Schools Chief, Principal

When Alexandria at last chooses a new superintendent, he or she will barely have time to slip into the top seat before facing a major test: picking a new principal for the city's only high school.

With the recent resignation of Mel Riddile, an award-winning principal who will leave T.C. Williams High at the end of this school year after two years at the helm, the city is left with having two of its top educator positions vacant. Some have described the school, and the school system, as a ship without its captains.

"People like a steady hand at the helm. And there isn't one," said former School Board member Sally Ann Baynard, whose daughter is a junior at T.C. Williams. "There is no hand at the helm."

Baynard was on the board when Riddile, 57, was chosen to replace longtime principal John Porter. Riddile had been working at J.E.B. Stuart High School in Fairfax County and had been named principal of the year by MetLife and the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and Baynard said the school system was thrilled to have lured him. She called his resignation "a blow."

"When you only have one high school, it's not your flagship high school. It's your high school," she said. "T.C. Williams is very important to the city."

Bill Symons, Alexandria's interim superintendent, said he has discussed Riddile's departure with the School Board, and its members hope to line up potential candidates for the new superintendent to consider. The ultimate decision will have to rest with the new chief, he said.

"They need to make that call," said Symons, who is not a candidate for the position. "He or she is going to have to . . . work with them."

A timeline the School Board released for the superintendent search said the officials hope to fill the job by the end of this month. When asked for the names of the three finalists, who were scheduled to be interviewed May 9 and 10, board Chairman Claire M. Eberwein said the candidates requested confidentiality, and the board agreed to grant the request.

The board had previously zeroed in on three candidates and was expected to choose one before abruptly ending its relationship with nationally recognized consultants Ray and Associates last month.

The board is now working with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates.

Symons said the task of finding a principal is especially difficult with the emphasis in today's educational atmosphere on testing and accountability. He added that finding the best candidate is even "more paramount" because the city has only one high school.

"It's such a demanding job, a lot of pressure, a lot of issues," Symons said. "You have to find those people who have the passion, and Mel was one of them."