Joshua Edwards got a trial run as interim superintendent during the 2021 school year when he filled in for superintendent Curtis Chase, who was out on medical leave.

On Wednesday at the Southwestern Consolidated Schools board meeting, Edwards was nominated to become the school system’s next superintendent.

By a vote of 6-0-1, Edwards was selected as the candidate. Board member Derrek Tennell, who was chosen to fill a vacant board seat just last week, abstained from voting since he was not involved in the search process.

Contract details must still be finalized before the move becomes official. Edwards is currently Southwestern Elementary School’s principal.

“As time goes and you see things and like to keep moving forward, I just want to help out the corporation,” said Edwards, now in his ninth year at Southwestern Elementary School. “I love it here. My daughter goes here. We have so many good family and community members. I am really excited to be a part of this.”

Once the contract details are worked out, Edwards will resume the role he handled in 2021 as interim superintendent and elementary school principal. He expects to fully transition to superintendent once the school year concludes and the process to hire a new elementary school principal will begin.

Edwards admits it will be difficult to leave the students at the elementary school level but the compact campus will allow him to visit the building frequently.

“I love the campus and the community,” he said. “It is small enough you can still visit the buildings. I love that we are all on one campus and I can still see everybody.”

Chase’s resignation was accepted at the school board’s February meeting. He took the position of Director of Operations for the Rush County school system.

In other board business Wednesday:

• Approved paying NetTalon $44,493.03 for the installation of a security system in the fieldhouse
• Approved paying Huston Electric $18,980 for a new intercom package system at the high school
• Approved the purchase of IP cameras from Lucide IT for replacement of security cameras at the high school and elementary school at a cost of $115,838.99