CCSB To Offer Superintendent Candidate

RISON - The Cleveland County School Board voted in a special-called meeting Tuesday night to offer former Sheridan School District Superintendent Jerrod Williams a one-year contract to become superintendent once the current superintendent, Craig Dupuy, completes his contract on June 30. Dupuy is stepping down to become an assistant superintendent for the Benton School District on July 1. Williams is currently the grants coordinator for the Arkansas River Education Cooperative in Pine Bluff. Prior to that, he was superintendent of the Sheridan School District from 2014 through early 2022. Cleveland County School Board President Harrell Wilson said all seven board members were present for the special meeting Tuesday night, and the vote was unanimous to make the offer to Williams. While the initial contract offer is for one year, Wilson said both parties may be open for an extension after the first year. Wilson said he plans to meet with Williams later this week to discuss a contract. Williams was terminated from his contract at Sheridan after a unanimous vote by the Sheridan School Board during a special called meeting held in February 2022. That decision came after Williams had been placed on paid administrative leave in December 2021. There was opposition to Williams' dismissal at Sheridan. According to media reports, several former school board members publicly voiced their support for Williams, and there was a petition drive within the community to keep him on as well. Wilson said Williams addressed his firing when the school board interviewed him during a special-called meeting on March 14 at the administration building in Rison. Wilson said he was satisfied with the explanation that Williams gave about the firing. The Sheridan Headlight reported that the Sheridan School Board agreed to pay Williams a lump sum of $177,000 in a settlement following his dismissal. That amount ...