School board sets timeline for superintendent search
The School Board of Lee County has set a tentative timeline for its search for a new superintendent of schools.
Molly Schwarzhoff, senior vice president of Ray and Associates, the search firm hired, provided an outline of the proposed timeline on Aug. 24, which provides for a hire in January.
The timeline begins with input from constituents and stakeholders on Sept. 7. There also will be an online survey that will be available from Sept. 7 through Oct. 7 to provide the community with an opportunity to digest and think of the 10 qualities they would like to see in the new superintendent.
Currently, there are two days set for stakeholder meetings on Sept. 21 and 22.
“There are four members on your team. There could be four meetings happening at 10, 11, 12,” Schwarzhoff said.
Ray and Associates President Michael Collins said the meetings could go anywhere from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., as they would like to offer meetings at different times to engage the community. He said what is shared during those meetings will be summarized and provided to the board.
“It’s a free poll and we encourage you to use that. Given all the trials and tribulations, this work (can provide) some kind of unifying and capturing experience for all involved,” Collins said.
On Oct. 12, they will begin recruiting candidates for the position.
With 50 days of recruitment, it puts the district into mid-December, which Schwarzhoff said is beneficial as its biggest traffic times on the website are during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The deadline for applying would be Dec. 13, so the team could begin screening, vetting and interviewing candidates.
On Jan. 4, candidates will be presented to the board during an approximate four-hour meeting. The hiring firm does not want to change that date, as they want to tell the candidates they will hear from them one way or another by the end of that business day.
The board determined that the first round of candidates will be interviewed virtually, while the second round will be interviewed in person with reimbursement for travel.