HCS Superintendent Search Process Proceeds

HARRISON – At the March 4 special meeting of the Harrison Community Schools Board of Education, members received the results of superintendent search Candidate Qualifications Survey responses gathered online as well as at a school “town hall” meeting. Presenting was Dave Moore, consultant with the Michigan Association of School Boards, the agency chosen by the board to facilitate its superintendent search. Moore said there had been 153 responses to the online survey, in addition to the in-person town hall attendees’ input.

The March 4 meeting purpose was twofold. First, sort through the multitude of responses to determine which characteristics, skills, administrative style and philosophy, and other experience should make the final criteria list in the online job posting. Moore said that, to-date, there have been three applicants for the superintendent position, and that there will certainly be more once the specific description of criteria is posted. Second, solidify the selection process timeline.

The survey had a broad range of questions, including some designed to get a picture of the people in the district, their circumstances and their commitment to children’s education. Moore had sifted through all the public’s responses in various categories, and broken them down by percentage to illustrate for the BOE which elements seemed most important to respondents. In some instances, he combined a couple responses to show how it could represent a strongly held preference of a greater percentage of people.

Moore also urged board members to use the information he was bringing to them, but to remember that he was doing just that: bringing information – but that the decision-making was solely their domain. He used the example of a board he had been working with earlier in the week. He had given them their requested information, then turned around and did not use it – something he found to be somewhat confounding.

“I’m the facilitator, not the decisionmaker,” Moore said. “It is the one decision you all will make. You can take their [community] input, and you are going to decide.”

After a lengthy presentation of bar graphs and percentages which brought clarity and perspective to the responses, Moore offered suggestions and guidance in phrasing the board’s questions (criteria) for applicants to answer. These will be added to the job posting on the Michigan Association of School Boards website until April 3. After that, the applications, resumes and letters received online will be reviewed, and on April 19 choices for interview will be made. Based on a presumed six candidates, first interviews (to include 15 questions for candidates) would take place at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. April 26 and 27. Second interviews would then be scheduled for May 2.

Moore said that now, with just one month to accrue applications, he would update board members weekly.

At one point in the meeting when a criteria item spoke of the necessity for a superintendent to be part of the community, one detail of interest came up when a board member asked if it was required that a superintendent live within the school district. Moore replied that residency within the district is not required, but that the superintendent must reside within 20 miles “as the crow flies” of the edge of the district.