Board launches search by hiring WASB to find next district leader

The Port Washington-Saukville School Board on Monday launched what it hopes is a four-month search for the district’s next leader by hiring the Wisconsin Association of School Boards to help find the successor to longtime Supt. Michael Weber.

Three weeks after approving the June 30 retirement of Weber, who has been at the helm of the district for 21 years, the board interviewed three firms, choosing the nonprofit organization that represents school boards over two superintendent search firms from Illinois — Hazard, Young, Attea Associates and School Exec Connect.

Board President Brenda Fritsch said the board liked the fact WASB specializes in Wisconsin superintendent searches, offers a breadth of services and charges a fee that varies depending on the services the district chooses to use.

In addition,  WASB conducted the search that resulted in the hiring of Weber in 2000.

The WASB search is expected to cost the district no more than $10,400, which is less expensive than the fee proposed by the other two firms. That amount could vary depending on the services the board decides to use. 

  According to WASB’s proposed timeline, the district could select its next superintendent by as early as May 27 — a full month ahead of Weber’s departure — although that depends entirely on the candidates who apply and whether the board deems one of them a good fit for the district. 

Representatives of all three firms said that because of the district’s reputation, it will likely attract interest from several highly qualified candidates.

“I do think the Port Washington-Saukville District has a lot to offer and I think it will be a very attractive job,” Louise Blankenheim, WASB’s director of search and organizational consulting services, told the board. 

Dan Nerad, a WASB consultant and former school superintendent, called Weber’s two decades in the district remarkable, adding that the district’s next leader is not likely to stay for that long.

“Twenty years is a remarkable tenure for a superintendent,” he said. “That’s not often found anymore.”

It is clear based on the WASB proposal and comments from board members that the public will be involved in the search, starting perhaps with a community survey and focus group meetings as early as next month to help create a superintendent profile.

“We view this (surveys) as a very good way to get the community involved on the front end,” Nerad said. “Surveys provide really specific input into the qualities the community is looking for in the leadership of the district.”

The public may also be invited to meet the finalists near the end of the search process.

The WASB timeline calls for the board to select a superintendent ahead of Weber’s retirement, but several board members said their priority is finding the right person for the job, and if that takes longer than expected the search process should be extended.

Although not considered ideal, the board has the option of naming an interim superintendent while it continues the search as it did in 1999 before Weber was hired.