Parents, community give feedback, suggestions for superintendent search

As the search for a new superintendent gears up, AASB consultant Terry Jenkins heard from community stakeholders throughout Thursday, expressing their concerns, thoughts and suggestions for the next leader of the school system.

From teachers and school administrators to elected officials and community members, Jenkins — who was brought on last month by the board of education to assist in finding candidates for the superintendent vacancy — held meetings throughout the day to get input on what he and his committee should consider when recruiting and going through applications.

Jenkins said his team will kick off the search Friday and publicly post the job with various agencies nationwide in the coming days, and he and Interim Superintendent Charles Mason will begin reaching out to contacts they think might be interested in the position.

The deadline for those interested to apply is set for Dec. 1, and after narrowing it down, Jenkins said he will present a list of five candidates to the board on Dec. 19.

After that, the process is up to the board, he said, but right now interviews are scheduled for Jan. 8-12, 2018, with the tentative start date being set for late February — the six-month mark from former Superintendent Sheila Phillips' resignation.

However, Jenkins said, should the board decide it wants more time, it can petition to the state school board for an extension.

“It is those five people who will make the final choice,” he said, referring to the board.

At the meetings with parents and community members, the first of which was held at City Hall in the morning and the second at Pizitz Middle School in the evening, Jenkins asked those present — who were primarily mothers of students in the system — what they thought he should know.

He also asked a group of AP Government students who came to the meeting what they thought.

After asking additional questions about the process, several themes emerged from the discussion, primarily the need for someone with stability, who would be willing to stay with the school district for longer than the three to four-year average tenure of a superintendent.

“We don’t need a race horse, we need a stable pony,” said City Councilor and parent Kimberly Cook, who attended multiple meetings Thursday.

Cook and others wondered about whether the timing of the search, which falls in the middle of a school year, would discourage good candidates from applying, because they didn't want to leave their own school districts in a bind.

Jenkins said that "boards understand," but that, again, if the right candidate were found and couldn't come until the summer, that is where the extension would come in.

Other issues brought up at the meeting included the desire for the next superintendent to increase transparency and communication with the community about issues, especially as the district moves further into the facilities and alignment issues it has been discussing over the last year.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Jenkins will present to the board the results of his discussions Thursday, as well as the online survey, which as of Thursday morning had received more than 800 responses.

The meeting will take place in the board room at the Board of Education at 5 p.m.