Brenda Blackburn

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Montgomery County's new superintendent, Brenda Blackburn, will be under contract with the division through the 2013 academic year.

On Thursday night, the school board, absent board member Joe Ivers, voted 6-0 to approve a $150,000, three-year contract for her.

In late November, the board selected Blackburn from a pool of 50 applicants to replace Tiffany Anderson, who left the division in June for a job in Missouri.

Blackburn, the associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Brevard County, Fla., said this week she is looking forward to getting to know school administrators and the education community in Montgomery County.

She had plans to shop for houses today, but she said the weather may affect her travel plans.

Her contract requires her to live in Montgomery County. Anderson, who lived in Blacksburg, had a similar clause in her contract.

Blackburn, 62, is scheduled to begin work March 1. She said she plans to listen and learn when she arrives.

She has been keeping abreast of school issues while wrapping up her life in Florida, though, including the tight budget times. She said she expects her last day there to be in the last week of the month.

Blackburn will be responsible for working through the final budget draft, which could include eliminating positions.

"She'll be ready to hit the ground running," said board Chairman Wendell Jones.

The board has planned a public reception for Blackburn on March 9.

Details of that event are not finalized.