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Home > Blogs > Middletown School News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > July > 06 > Entry
Board discusses search firm
The board is back in open session, now discussing the search for a consulting firm to lead their superintendent search.
Most board members say they want an “active” search - meaning a firm that will actively look for candidates.
Here are all the details:
The board could not reach a consensus on which consulting firm to hire to lead the superintendent search.
The board set a special meeting July 14 to again discuss search consultants.
“I don’t want us to be in a hurry to do this process,” said board President Greg Tyus. “Whether it’s the selection of the firm or the hiring of the superintendent.”
“It’s too important,” said board member Marcia Andrew.
Board members Chris Fiora, Andrew and John Sauter first expressed their support for the Boston-based firm Carney, Sandoe and Associates - who they felt would go out and actively recruit candidates.
“I do feel strongly that we need to have an active search as opposed to a passive search,” Fiora said, opening the discussion.
Fiora said he would not consider the Ohio School Boards Association because a representative from the organization said they will not “cherry pick” from other Ohio schools, and would only ask people to apply who the board has asked for.
Board Vice President Katie McNeil, a trustee of the OSBA, encouraged her fellow board members to contact other schools who have used the OSBA.
“They will do what a board wants them to do,” she said. “I know nationally how active they are. I think the search firm needs to work for the school board.”
McNeil pointed out that the other firms the board heard from last night, referred to President Greg Tyus as “chairman” and would not have the knowledge of Middletown that the OSBA does.
“We can look nationally, but we also need to look very long and hard locally and statewide,” she said.
Board members agreed that since Middletown is a member of the OSBA, they should consider that organization, which also happens to be the cheapest of the groups they heard from. They also agreed the OSBA was very professional in their presentation.
Board member Marcia Andrew said she has no doubt the OSBA would do a good job, but said it is clear their recruitment is passive.
“In my mind, that’s what we’re paying a search firm to do is to go out there and have knowledge of who all the potential candidates might be and encourage them to apply for the job,” Andrew said. “I think that’s particularly important given the timing of our search. I think we’re going to need someone who will call people.”
McNeil said she does not doubt Middletown will receive plenty of applications being an urban school district.
“I don’t think you’re going to have to go knocking on doors,” she said.
She said the board needs someone to come in and help organize, which the OSBA will do.
“We’re going to need an organization to come help us work together,” she said. “The price is right. I don’t support paying an outrageous large amount of money to help us do the work that we an do, that we will do.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Middletown City Schools
Comments
By RU serious
July 31, 2009 2:34 PM | Link to this
This board is crazy! Why would you use taxpayer dollars and run your current superintendent out of town, and yet you’re not even capable of agreeing on the darn search firm/process? Who in their right mind would 1.) want to come to a district that has such a meddlesome, divisive Board and 2.) want to re-elect any of these guys who don’t even care about having someone in charge before school starts? What a zoo!