PLANTATION, Fla. – The search for Broward County’s next public schools superintendent has reached the homestretch, and members of the community have a chance to meet both finalists Tuesday night before the school board decides Wednesday.
Interim superintendent Vickie Cartwright and retired Air Force colonel Michael Gaal will be at Plantation High School (6901 Northwest 16th Street) for the meet-and-greet event Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. They are expected to answer questions moderated by the search firm the district has hired, and they will also be available to interact with attendees afterward.
The district is accepting public comments at this link ahead of a special meeting Wednesday when the school board is expected to vote on its choice.
Last week, the school board narrowed its list of candidates to two finalists.
All nine board members voted to advance Cartwright, who before taking the interim job in July was superintendent in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and spent 17 years working for Orange County Public Schools in the Orlando area. The interim superintendent was initially not supposed to be eligible for the full-time role, but Cartwright has gained the support of board members and Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco.
Seven of the nine board members voted to advance Gaal, who beyond his flight instruction experience has served as deputy chancellor of D.C. Public Schools, chief of staff for the Oakland Unified School District and in leadership positions for the Education Achievement Authority of Michigan.
One of them will replace Robert Runcie, who stepped down last spring after being charged with perjury.
For more info on the search and to see full bios of the candidates, go to browardschools.com/supersearch.
To watch a live stream of Tuesday night’s event when it begins, click here.