Superintendent Search Update

School Board President Michael DeBell has sent out a letter describing the status and plan for the Superintendent Search.


March 23, 2012
Dear Seattle Public Schools families, staff and community,
As you know, the Seattle School Board is in the midst of searching for our next superintendent.  We have contracted with an outside firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), to conduct a national search to find a leader who is a great fit for our schools and community. Last fall, Elway Research, Inc. conducted two surveys to gather input about desired characteristics in the next superintendent from a broad spectrum of the community, including three town hall meetings held in conjunction with Seattle Council PTSA. 
Using the survey results and information gathered from interviews with the Board and community members, the search firm consultants drafted desired characteristics that outline what the community is looking for in a new superintendent, including: 
  • a visionary, inspirational leader
  • an instructional leader who has a proven track record
  • a knowledgeable manager
  • an effective communicator
For a full list of these traits, visit: http://bit.ly/SuperintendentTraits. Your input into these characteristics is important to us, and we are keeping this in mind as we move forward.
We have been receiving applications and expect the 12-person Search Committee to conduct semi-finalist interviews the week of April 9. So far, we have 40 applicants and the deadline to apply is today. We plan to announce our top three candidates between April 18-20 with a letter to staff, families and a media announcement.  The School Board’s process for interviewing the top three finalists includes an interview with the Board, interviews with the 25-person Community Focus Group, school tours and a 45-minute media availability with each candidate. Candidates will spend two days in Seattle during the week of April 23. We hope to have a new Superintendent named in May to start in July. I am confident we will find a great leader to kick off the 2012-13 school year.
You can always find updated information on our Superintendent Search Page, including who is serving on the Search committee, here:http://bit.ly/SuperintendentSearchSite.
Seattle Public Schools deserves a high-caliber leader who exemplifies the leadership traits that you identified for the next chief executive for our 48,500-student system. I am confident we will attract candidates who will lead and inspire, and continue to build on the progress we have made over the past several years.
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please let the School Board know. We can be reached atschoolboard@seattleschools.org.
Sincerely,
Michael DeBell
President
Seattle School Board

Let's see if Melissa can get press credentials for the 45-minute media availability with the finalists.

Comments

Well, FINALLY.

Still, the media get to meet them and not parents/teachers/the people who will paying the huge salary?
Rodney said…
So ... which of the directors are next up for re-election ?
DeBell?( seems unlikely he'll run again... appears not to have the heart for it since losing his pals Meier and Sundquist), and Director Smith -Blum ?
Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
Was that last post (about "Celebrities Naked") part of DeBell's press release?

Mr Ed
Anonymous said…
Wow, now THAT'S a transparent process...

Mr Ed
Someone said…
spammer - might want to check your virus protection levels Mr. Ed ;)

What is DeBell so afraid of with us pesky public types - everything lately seems to be about keeping "the public" at arms length - siggghhh...
Anonymous said…
I am so very tired of the word "leader".

Oompah
Anonymous said…
I am so very tired of the word "leader".

Oompah
dan dempsey said…
#1 ... The basics...

Look for a Superintendent interested in following the laws of WA State and encouraging the Board to do the same.

The reduction in legal expenses could be significant as well as no need for a buyout.

#2 Disclose the salary and benefits NOW not to be figured out later based on how much in love the Board is with the candidate.
Again, if the media gets to hear them, then at least have a transcript of the interviews wit the Focus Committee. I don't get why can't the Focus Committees interviews be taped if media gets to talk to them and tape them?
Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
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Anonymous said…
Okay, even I don't want THAT much transparency...

Melissa or Charlie, better nuke the spam...

Mr Ed
Anonymous said…
Is there a final list for the community review team or whatever it is yet?

-interested
Anonymous said…
So confusing. And clear the board is making interview process up as it goes.

Went to the SPS link, in DeBell's email, that promised to show members of committee. It doesn't. For the one interview committee it has names of groups, not names of individuals. I'm looking for names. (Yes, I am counting how many known Ed Reformers have managed to infiltrate the process.)


For the other interview committee - the big one -it has no information. No names. Not what it is supposed to do. And is that 'big group' the same as the 'focus group' and 'community review group'? Or no? Same point as above. I want to know whose opinion is serving as "our" opinion since "we" aren't allowed to actually talk to these candidates. Which is dumb, by the way. One open forum would have made so much more sense. That is what every other district in the area is doing with their finalists.

Savvy Voter
Anonymous said…
"I am confident..."
"I am confident..."

...words of someone in a leadership position who isn't a leader.

Micael's DeBell's note to self: Invoke rhetoric from The Little Engine Who Could.

--enough already
Charlie Mas said…
Rodney,

The next school board directors up for re-election are Michael DeBell in District IV, Kay Smith-Blum in District V, and Betty Patu in District VII. The election will be in the fall of 2013, but anyone who wants to run needs to start getting out there in April or May.
Anonymous said…
The message is clear. The opinions of the collective we don't matter. This is the biggest eff off from SPS this year.

Mr White
mirmac1 said…
We must have got the HZA budget plan for community outreach:

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