Briscoe to continue as New Albany-Floyd County interim superintendent

Brooke McAfee, The Evening News and the Tribune, Jeffersonville, Ind.
·2 min read

Aug. 9—FLOYD COUNTY — Bill Briscoe will continue as interim superintendent in New Albany-Floyd County Consolidated School Corp. as the district searches for a permanent leader.

The NAFCS school board voted 6-1 Monday to approve the contract for the interim position. Board member Lee Ann Wiseheart was the only opposing vote.

Briscoe, formerly an assistant superintendent at NAFCS, has been interim superintendent for the past month following the sudden retirement of Brad Snyder, the former superintendent.

Although he was set to retire from NAFCS this summer, Briscoe agreed to fill in temporarily as the district's leader in early July after Snyder stepped down.

The Indiana School Boards Association (ISBA) is assisting the NAFCS board as it seeks a permanent superintendent. The job posting was approved in July.

Wiseheart said her vote against the contract was not related to Briscoe's performance, noting that she appreciates the work he has done for the school corporation.

However, she does not support the amount of pay outlined in the contract, citing Briscoe's lack of a superintendent license or a doctorate degree.

According to the contract, Briscoe will be paid $675 a day.

The contract is effective July 6 and lasts through Jan. 13, 2023.

This amounts to 138 paid contract days, including retroactive pay.

Snyder's base salary was $181,960 annually, which equals almost $700 per day.

Briscoe has worked for more than 40 years in NAFCS, including 14 years as the district's assistant to the superintendent for administration and operations.

Upon accepting the interim position in July, he originally was not planning to serve on a long-term basis, and the school board previously considered hiring a different interim superintendent.

Donna Corbett, a NAFCS board member, thanked Briscoe for stepping up and "taking one for the team."

Briscoe said he is excited to serve the school system during the board's search for a permanent superintendent.

"Getting a new leader and a permanent superintendent is an opportunity for growth, and it will be an opportunity for the district to get better, so it's just exciting to be in this role," he said. "I do think this corporation is the heart of this community."

He promised to do his "very best" as interim superintendent.

"I'm sure I will make a mistake every once in a while, and I'll look myself in the mirror and try to do better," Briscoe said. "If it's a big mistake, I will apologize immediately. I do think we're in a great place — we have a strong, strong team of parents and staff and board members and leaders who we count on every day to educate and support our students. We're in a very good place, and I think we'll continue to get better."