Herald Independent editor’s note: Dr. Samantha Ingram, it was learned this week, has withdrawn her name as a finalist for the position of Montgomery County school superintendent. The following story by Adrienne Nettles is reprinted courtesy of the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser.

By Adrienne Nettles

Another Montgomery superintendent finalist dropped out of the running Monday, forcing the Montgomery County Board of Education to decide between naming the lone finalist as Montgomery's next superintendent or starting the search over again.

In a story first reported by the Montgomery Advertiser, Fairfield County Superintendent Samantha Ingram became the third finalist to withdraw from the interview process. Her decision leaves Barbara Thompson, superintendent of New Glarus Public Schools in Wisconsin, as the lone candidate for the position.

"Based on the current challenges and most recent challenges facing Montgomery Public Schools, it's just not the right time," Ingram told the Montgomery Advertiser on Monday. She said she also was no longer interested in the Montgomery superintendent post because of "personal challenges."

Ingram has been on medical leave in her current school district in Fairfield County, S.C., since mid-April.

"You have to give 100 percent plus 10 percent in Montgomery," Ingram said. "I'm recovering, but I was worried about that also."

Melissa Snowden, vice chairwoman of the school board, said Ingram's withdrawal means the school board should continue searching.

"She came with a lot of baggage," Snowden said. "Her baggage concerned me. I don't think we need to assume Barbara Thompson is the automatic superintendent."

"We all need to ... be patient to make sure we have the best superintendent for our system."

Ingram's withdrawal on Monday came two days after a delegation of Montgomery school officials that included Snowden returned from a site visit to Wisconsin to find out more about Thompson as a superintendent and educator. The board had planned to visit Ingram's school district in early July.

Now, the board plans to meet Wednesday to decide how to proceed now that Ingram is no longer a finalist...

...Before Ingram, two other candidates earlier this month withdrew their names from consideration in the Montgomery superintendent interview process.

Herald Independent editor’s note: In a telephone interview late Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Ingram told The Herald Independent that she had been honored to have been chosen as a finalist in Montgomery County, but with the challenges facing that district and her own “personal challenges,” the “timing wasn’t right” for her to continue as a finalist for the superintendent position.

She said that she felt she had to do what was right for the Montgomery County school district and that would have been to give 110 percent from the first day. She confessed that she didn’t feel she was ready to do that.

She confirmed that some other school districts in the nation may have her on their wish lists as well.

“As long as you're doing what’s right for children and showing an improvement in your school district, then other districts are going to be pursuing you,” she said.

One of the districts that may have been courting her was in the Washington, D.C. area, but Ingram said she “was not leaving Fairfield County for D.C.

“What I hope is that (the school board and I) can continue the work that has begun in Fairfield County,” Ingram said.

She said that she wants to determine a way to find common ground with the board members so that the work of improving the district can continue.

Another important player in that effort, Ingram said, is the community.

“In order for us to continue to make improvements in this district, the community has to be involved. I need the support of this community. This district needs the support of this community,” she said.