Board develops leader criteria

Wanted: A positive, outgoing and likeable leader with experience in conflict resolution who is passionate about children and education, clearly and openly communicates and will serve as a mentor and foster team development.

In a nutshell, these are the qualities the Cedar Grove-Belgium School Board is seeking in the next superintendent  of schools.

Board members at a special meeting last week were led by Ashwaubenon Supt. Brian Hanes and Howard-Suamico Supt. Damian LaCroix, consultants with the Nebraska-based executive search firm of McPherson and Jacobson LLC, in determining the search parameters.

“Who we hire is the most important decision we make,” Hanes said, “whether it’s in the classroom or certainly in leadership.”

The board identified more than 30 characteristics they would like to see in their next leader, then each board member selected the top five in order of importance.

Strong leadership and being passionate about children and education were the top picks across the board for all six members in attendance. Laura Schieffer was absent.

Aileen Dahlke’s second-ranked priority was for the superintendent to live in the district. The board agreed the person should be the face of the district with high visibility.

Board members were split on requiring candidates have a doctorate and superintendent experience.

Interim Supt. Claire Martin told the board someone in a director-level position at a larger district could be considered having administrative experience.

The board would like the next superintendent to stay for 10 to 15 years and consider the position a stepping stone to a job in a larger district.

Superintendents, Hanes said, generally stay for an average of 3.2 to five years. Last year, 51 districts hired first-year superintendents and 82 others changed jobs across the state, he said. The state has about 420 school districts.

The position is slated to be posted beginning the week of Dec. 2 through Jan. 9 in various publications.

The board mulled listing the salary in the posting and decided on putting a range. The average superintendent’s salary in the Big East Conference schools is about $136,000. The board chose a range of $135,000 to $150,000 “negotiable based on experience” to try to attract impressive candidates.

A meeting of staff, parents and community members is scheduled for Dec. 16 to further discuss what the community wants in the next superintendent.

Hanes said he expects to receive 11 to 25 applications.

Interviews are slated to be held in February with an offer to the leading candidate expected to be made soon after that.

In discussing what the board expects from the search firm throughout the process, honesty, transparency, leadership, open communication and finding the best candidate were mentioned.

Board members wondered about competing interest since the firm is also working to find Sheboygan Falls’ next superintendent.

“This is a process that’s streamlined to you,” Hanes said.

The district is searching for a new superintendent after Jeanne Courneene retired due to family reasons in early fall.

Martin, a longtime educator who served as the superintendent of Chilton for nine years before retiring, said she will not be a candidate.