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Search for Greenville Schools Superintendent…
Community forum
results in dozens of “wants”
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE - “If we found this ‘Superman’ – if he or she really exists
– you probably couldn’t afford him.”
Dr. Richard Caster, Ohio School Boards Association, told an audience of
about 30 people at Memorial Hall Thursday night that their desired
attributes in a new school superintendent were not unusual – other
community forums he conducted weren’t much different – but they weren’t
likely to happen. The person would be beyond their price range.
While many points overlapped, the group came up with 30 to 40
“requirements” on their “wish list.” Caster broke the session down into
three basic questions:
1. What do you see as the challenges the district will face over the
next five years?
Caster noted immediately that he expected money to be at the top.
Beyond that, much of the discussion revolved around community support…
support for the District, confidence in and support for the School
Board. Micromanaging was a criticism regarding the Board.
New schools and renovations were among the concerns… Greenville is
losing students. According to the group, they are leaving to go to
surrounding Districts with “beautiful new schools.”
The changing demographics of the Greenville District were also of
concern. Kids grow up and leave. Parents work two jobs, can’t be
involved.
Caster noted that this was not unusual for an “urban” district in a
“rural” community. He told the group that the average size of the 618
Districts in Ohio was 1200-1500 students. The District’s size (2200
students) in the only city in Darke County was part of the issue.
“You are talking about ‘City Problems,’” he said.
Caster added that a major issue would be direct involvement in the
District.
“In any school district, you’ll find that 70 percent of its residents
have no direct involvement with the District. This is true elsewhere,
I’ve no doubt it’s true here as well.”
Other issues facing the District, according to the group, were a clear
organizational chart, ie ‘who is responsible for what,’ leader
expectations, proper staff development and lack of a strategic plan.
“Any successful business has to have a strategic plan,” Caster said.
“Also a vision,” he added.
2. What do you expect from the new superintendent in meeting these
challenges?
At the top of the list of expectations was “prioritize” the issues.
The group said that they wanted a strong leader – especially regarding
the school board – and one who will hold staff accountable at all
levels.
“He (or she) needs to have a strong discipline plan and enforce it,”
one that is not impacted by a concern for the state Report Cards.
The group wanted to make sure someone was brought in who would “educate
and lead,” again noting the School Board.
3. What are the personal and professional qualities you expect the new
superintendent to possess?
The group wanted a superintendent with a “backbone” and demonstrable
problem solving skills. A successful background in getting levies
passed. Honesty, integrity, ethics and credibility were also at the top
of the list…
The audience asked about background checks. Caster said that in
addition to the state and federal checks, it was unlikely that a Board
in another district would be candid about an individual they would just
as soon see gone. He added, however, that calls to other individuals in
the community and district would likely provide a more realistic
picture.
“Then there’s the Internet,” Caster said. “I’ve found more information
about a person on the Internet than I could ever have gotten from
interviews.”
Other attributes listed were good communication skills: The Board, the
District and the businesses in the District. The new superintendent
must be visible in the community.
The group was concerned about stability. Contracts of five years, a
desire for someone who would be there 10 years or more. Another said
that until they know they made the right choice, maybe the initial
contract should only be one year.
Caster said neither was likely to happen. He strongly recommended that
the initial contract be for three years.
He said that in Year 1, the newly hired superintendent will find out
where the bathrooms are; in Year 2 he or she will figure out what’s
going on and in Year 3 there should be some good plans in place.
“A qualified candidate isn’t going to relocate his or her family on a
one-year contract,” he said. He also noted that a good superintendent –
one that has many of the qualities Greenville has noted – is going to
go where the money is at some point.
“Free agency is alive and well,” he said, adding that the typical term
of a superintendent is about four years.
There were mixed views about “retire rehire.” Double dipping? Not
really, Caster said. The retirement has been earned. After that a
qualified candidate with experience, who already has a source of
income, might be cheaper than one with less experience who still has a
family to support.
Regarding concerns over the Board, Caster said to the group:
“If the Board micro-managing the superintendent is a bad thing, how
about the community micro-managing the Board?” He noted that the Board
should set policy and the Superintendent and staff should carry it out.
“A good candidate will interview the Board as much as the Board
interviews them,” Caster said. He added that a good candidate will also
“do his homework” on the Board and the community.
Caster told the group that their comments were “pretty much in line”
with the comments that came from the staff in an identical session
three weeks earlier.
There was, however, one major difference. The staff three weeks earlier
said the community was not aware – but needed to be – of the District’s
excellence and accomplishments in many areas, including but not limited
to the Greenville Wavaires and the Auto Technology program.
The strong qualities of the District were not mentioned in the
community session.
Following the session, Assistant GHS Principal David Torrance noted
other differences between the staff perception and the community
perception of the District.
“The relationship between community and school district should be
symbiotic,” he said, “not parasitic.”
He noted that while a business looking at Greenville and its old
buildings might think the District is challenged (which may or may not
be true), it would also question how the community supports its schools.
Either conclusion would not be positive, but the concern could be over
the community rather than the district.
The timeline for the search and decision is as follows: Application
deadline was June 18. Interviews will begin (of the top 4 or 5 that
Caster will recommend after getting the staff and community input) on
July 7. References and second interviews (2 or 3) will take place from
July 9 to 16.
“Act to employ” and “employment begins” are noted as TBA, but Caster
said he hoped a new superintendent will be in place by the first of
August.
Caster invited additional community comments. His phone number is
614-540-4000. Email address is: rcaster@ohioschoolboards.org.
Caster was asked what the District was paying for his services. He said
$6,900. While searches for some of the largest districts, like
Cleveland or New York, could cost as much as $40 or $50,000, their fee
was about standard for similar services for similar districts.
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