As staff develop recruitment materials, the District 55 School Board is looking for a new superintendent that is involved in and accessible by the community.
Among the five board members, Don Hopkins, Chairman Milt Moran, Barbara Snow, Scott Proctor and Bob Keller, present at a work session, having a new superintendent that lives in the Sweet Home community, showing a willingness to commit to the community, is a key quality.
The board is not necessarily looking for a person with superintendent experience, but someone, as Hopkins put it, with a proven record of success as a public school teacher or administrator.
The board brainstormed questions for applicants to answer. Among potential questions are what key positions would an applicant have on an administrative team, a statement of educational philosophy and a description of the most important aspects of superintendency in a school district.
Supt. Bill Hampton has retired and is working under special contract with the school district this year.
He recommended that the full board be involved in interviewing applicants.
During interviews, members of a screening committee and staff might provide tours and take candidates to dinner.
The board discussed who might be involved in the process, including members of the community and representatives of the classified employees and teachers.
Next on the recruitment calendar is final approval of timelines, advertising materials and application materials at the next regular board meeting on Oct. 8.
On Oct. 22, the district tentatively plans to announce the vacancy of the position and circulate recruitment materials throughout the state and advertise.
The application process would close on Dec. 28.
Applications would be screened during January, completed by Jan. 25.
Interviews are tentatively scheduled for the week of Feb. 22 to March 2. Candidates would visit the district for interviews, a tour and dinner.
Representatives of District 55 would visit candidates school districts between March 4 and March 22.
The School Board would hire the new superintendent on April 8, and the new superintendent would begin working on July 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year.