Dr. James Martin III is one of the five finalists selected for the Pell City Superintendent position that were interviewed by the Pell City Schools Board of Education last week.

Dr. Martin is a School Improvement Specialist at Chattahoochee Flint Regional Education Service Agency in Georgia. He has previously served as Superintendent at Harris County Schools and Chattahoochee County Schools in Georgia.

He stated that he has mentored new superintendents in his current position and would bring his previous experience to Pell City.

“We would lay as much groundwork as early as possible and hit the ground running,” Martin said in reply to what he would do during the first few months if selected Superintendent. “The people of Pell City, staff, and students deserve a smooth transition.”

Dr. Martin also stated that he would use his 10 years of superintendent experience to identify opportunities to grow through continuing community engagement by creating advisory groups with teachers, students, and getting feedback from the community to make sure school policies are helping.

“People appreciate you giving them the chance to be heard,” Dr. Martin told the PCSS Board of Education. “It’s very important to have good, open, honest communication and there shouldn’t be anything hidden.”

When asked what he saw as his role as superintendent, Dr. Martin replied, “My job is to do everything I can to make my employee’s jobs easier. Teaching is a very hard job and they need our support. I want to support them as much as I can but also hold them accountable. Every decision I make is in the best interest of the kids.”

Dr. Martin said that one of his favorite things when he served as superintendent was attending the first day of pre-K and kindergarten and seeing students on their first day of school, beginning their journey in education and attending high school graduation and watching them celebrate the completion of that journey.

He stated that he sees the importance of career tech programs partnering with business and industry, special education programs to work with students, and monitoring federal programs to make sure they are compliant. When asked about the role of extra curricular activities, Dr. Martin spoke of his former role as a band director.

“Extra curricular activities are more than athletics, they include art, JROTC, and clubs,” Dr. Martin stated. “They are vital to the school system and community and exist to support the academic program.”

“I’ve seen a lot of that didn’t have a group to identify with find a place and a lot of our kids graduate as a result of being involved,” he continued.

“I want to help people get better,” Dr. Martin said. “That’s the nature of an educator.”