A committee with the Natchez-Adams School District named its choice for next year’s principals at Natchez High School and Natchez Middle School this week.

Bobby Brown, the current ninth-grade principal at Natchez High School, was selected as high school principal and Cynthia Smith, assistant principal

at Natchez Middle School, was selected as middle school principal.

&uot;I’m just thankful that they felt my interview (went)&160;well enough to be the principal at Natchez High School,&uot; Brown said.

Smith said her colleagues have been a big support to her when discussing the new position.

&uot;It’s a little bit scary to some extent to know that responsibility is on your shoulders now but I’m looking forward to it. I really am,&uot; she said.

Brown and Smith have accepted the positions pending approval from the school board, said Fred Longs, the district’s director of personnel.

&uot;I’m pretty well pleased that they picked the best people out of the people we were interviewing,&uot; Longs said about the committee.

Six people – one from Atlanta and the remainder local – were considered for the two positions.

&uot;We realize a good leader makes all the difference,&uot; said Superintendent Dr. Carl Davis.

The committee, comprised of 16 school district employees and community members, ranked the candidates and gave Smith the highest score and Brown the second highest score, Longs said.

The committee also selected Tommy Molden of Atlanta to fill Brown’s spot as ninth-grade principal at the high school.

The school district has not yet been able to reach Molden to see if he wants to accept, Longs said.

The committee conducted its interviews this week to replace Natchez Middle School Principal Larry Jackson who is retiring and Natchez High School Principal Brenda Williams who is resigning as principal to take a central office job.

To help fill other vacancies, the school district conducted a job fair Saturday to recruit new employees.

About 135 people visited the job fair at the school district’s multipurpose building – up from about 100 last year.

The school district has 10 teacher/coaches positions open and is conducting interviews for those positions this week, Longs said.

The district wants to have all employees in place by the end of June, he said.