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BOE approves contract with AASB for superintendent search services

by

Emily Featherston

The Vestavia Hills Board of Education took the next step toward finding a permanent replacement for former Superintendent Sheila Phillips Wednesday as it approved a contract with the Alabama Association of School Boards.

The AASB, along with providing school boards and superintendents with training and advocacy, provides a variety of services, including recruitment services for high-level roles.

BOE president Nancy Corona explained that when she was looking back at the 2014 search that led to Phillips' appointment, the board did not use a search service, but that she and others felt it could aid this time around.

The level of service approved by the BOE Wednesday would have AASB handling the administrative and process aspects of the search.

AASB has led searches around the state, Corona said, including for Auburn, Jefferson County and Hoover.

Interim Superintendent Charles Mason said in his career, he has experience working with such services, and that a major part of it is the representative from the firm the board works with.

“My experience with search firms and observing them in other systems has been, while you hire a firm, essentially the firm is as good as the single consultant that works with the board,” he said.

And Mason said he has made it clear to his contact Terry Jenkins at AASB that the board is interested in an actual search — not just finding any candidate who responds to a job listing.

“In other words, I’ve made clear to him that the board is interested in a process that recruits, not just posts,” he said.

Mason and Corona explained that AASB would be responsible for not only posting the job, but for networking throughout the region and nation to find the best candidates to recruit.

Board member Lisa Baker asked if engaging in the process during the school year would make it difficult to find a good candidate, as some may not be willing to leave another workplace in the middle of the year.

Corona and Mason both said that the logistics of bringing the best candidate would have to be handled on a case by case basis.

“Job one is to get the best person; job two is to figure out when they can be here, and if there is a gap, figure out how to fill the gap,” Mason said.

Board member Steve Bendall said he wanted to make it clear to stakeholders that the process would be public and inclusive.

"t’s going to be an open process, gathering information from various groups to try to help guide the search,” he said.

Corona added that while there is a timeline to fill the position, the board wants to ensure the best candidate is found, so there are methods of extending the process if necessary.

Other BOE Business Included:

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