The list of candidates is narrowed down.

The search for a new superintendent for Bullitt County Public Schools is continuing, but a list was released.

Some of the names on that list are familiar to students and staff at Bullitt East. A total of four people were named in the running for the head job in Bullitt County. It’s unclear when the decision will be made.

Finalists include BCPS assistant superintendent Becky Sexton, current Oldham County assistant superintendent Willie Foster, Matthew Shane Baker, Director of district-wide programs for Greenup County Schools and William Jesse Bacon, principal of Simons Middle School in Flemingsburg. Foster is the former principal of Bullitt East and with the possible return of Foster is causing a buzz around school.

Senior Kaleigh Foster is Willie Foster’s daughter. “I’m so excited for my dad to possibly be the next superintendent,” said Kaleigh. Foster was the principal at BE from ???-2016. During his time as principal East was named a high school of distinction in the state and ranked in the top 10. Foster left in 2016 to take a role as the Career and College Readiness Director for BCPS. Currently he is the Oldham County assistant superintendent.

Charger Nation is very familiar with Foster and his work at East and in the community. “I think they would all be proud and accepting…. He was a great principal and would be a great candidate for a superintendent,” said Kaleigh.

Current Superintendent, Keith Davis is retiring at the end of this school year and he stated that he has not involved himself in the superintendent search since it is not an appropriate role for the sitting superintendent in any aspect of the selection process.

Since Davis won’t have a say in the decision of the new superintendent, the board will have the final say. “The elected Board of Education members make the decision, by majority vote, regarding to whom they will offer the position. As I understand from reading the newspaper that they announced four finalists for the position, they can make the decision at any time. I’m sure they will conduct interviews with the finalists, though there is no statutory requirement that they do so. Once the make an offer, then it is up to the candidate to negotiate salary and terms of employment. If the two parties come to an agreement, then a contract is signed,” said Davis.

Davis has worked with two of the candidates over the years in the BCPS system. “I have known and worked with two of the four finalists. I have worked with Mrs. Becky Sexton continuously for the past 22 years and she has been my Assistant Superintendent for Support Services for the past decade. She is highly capable and a great person. I have been a big fan of Mr. Willie Foster since he returned to Bullitt Central as an Assistant Principal around 11 years ago. I was a strong supporter of his while his supervisor and evaluator while he was principal at Bernheim and at Bullitt East. I hired him to be my Director of College and Career Readiness year before last and wrote him a strong letter of recommendation when he applied for his current position. So, if either of these fine individuals are selected as my successor, I will leave confident that the district will continue the progress we have made over the past 11 years,” said Davis.  

Baker and Bacon are from different school systems in the state and coming into BCPS can be a big transition. Davis stated that he doesn’t have any relationship or knowledge of the two gentlemen. “They very well could be great, but I would personally feel less secure in leaving the district of this size and complexity, to which I’ve dedicated the last 22 years of my life, in the hands of someone who hasn’t been part of our growth and success,” said Davis.

With many years of dedications to BCPS, Davis will be leaving his position with years of growth and striving schools. Dedicating more than a decade into education, Davis has accomplished many goals. “On a personal level, I will very much miss a lot of this job, but I’m an optimist and things tend to work out for the best for me; they always have. I’m very satisfied that I have done everything I could to make BCPS a much better district that it was when I started. I’ve pushed every major reform, with the help of a very strong team of co-workers. Every principal we currently have has been hired while I’ve been superintendent and we have a very, very strong group of leaders – both outside and inside the classroom. We’ve built, rebuilt, or renovated the majority of the schools in the district while I’ve been in the position and done a lot of good work to set the district up for a great future. So, I feel pretty great knowing that I’m leaving a school district that is an example for the rest of the state for innovation and the creation of opportunities for our students,” said Davis.