The state takeover of Selma City Schools is winding down and the search for the system’s next superintendent is underway.

The Selma City School Board plans to vote on the general qualifications and the salary range for the job at their scheduled board meeting Tuesday. The process is currently at its beginning stages, but in the upcoming months our hope is that the board can set its sights on a qualified candidate with the iron fist needed to make sure our city school system keeps moving in the right direction.

The changes that acting superintendent Larry DiChiara and the state takeover team have made in their brief time in Selma are widespread. They’ve created new programs for our students, converted Byrd Elementary School into an early learning center and started stacking the building blocks for a successful future.

It’s going to be up to the new leader, whoever it might be, to keep those building blocks in place.

When the state bows out of Selma, whether that be six months or two years from now, there are going to be some that want things to return to the way they were. That can’t be the case.

The new superintendent will likely be under fire from the get-go.

That’s the nature of taking over a school system in the midst of a state takeover.

DiChiara recommended at the latest Selma City School Board meeting that board members look at providing the new superintendent a higher salary than normal.

That’s probably a good place to start.

Any legitimate superintendent candidate is likely going to have options at other school systems that aren’t dealing with a state takeover and the issues the Selma City School System is facing. Paying more now should pay off in the future.

DiChiara has been a great leader for the school system and has shown what our schools could be like if given ample opportunity to succeed. We recommend that the school board searches for a candidate with many of DiChiara’s leadership qualities.

He’s been exactly what the school system needed at the right time.

The next hire will need to build upon the solid foundation he’s laid.