Top PW-S District job draws plenty of interest
Thirty-six people have applied for the job of Port Washington-Saukville School superintendent, and on Wednesday the district’s consultants were to have presented a list of six semi-finalists to the School Board.
“They are pleased with the quality of the candidates,” Weber said, referring to consultants from School Exec Connect, the firm hired by the board to coordinate the hiring process.
“The number of applications is about what they expected given the reputation of the district and its location.”
The application deadline was Sunday, May 2.
Board members met in closed session Monday to discuss details of the contract that will be offered to the person they pick to succeed Weber, who is retiring on June 30 after 21 years at the helm of the district.
They were scheduled to meet in closed session again on Wednesday as well as on May 17 and 19 when they will interview the six semi-finalists in an effort to pare the field to three finalists.
The names of the candidates will not be made public until the board selects the finalists, which is allowed under an exemption to Wisconsin’s Open Meeting Law and is standard practice for the hiring of public employees.
The board has not set a date for final interviews, but those are expected to be held later this month or in early June.
The finalists will also meet with three groups comprised of administrators, teachers and other staff members and invited members of the public that could include parents who are active in schools, representatives of parent and booster organizations, religious leaders and representatives of community groups, School Board President Brenda Fritsch said.
Members of these groups will score each of the finalists for the board’s consideration.
Central to the hiring process is a profile based on feedback from 150 people representing various groups in the community and school system who participated in 13 focus groups, as well as 758 people who responded to a survey asking about the district’s strengths and weaknesses and the ideal attributes of the next superintendent.
“That input was critical,” Fritsch told the board Monday.
“The most important thing about this search is the profile. Our consultants will only bring candidates to us that satisfy (the criteria of the profile).”
Weber said feedback from people who participated in the groups and survey indicate they don’t believe the district has problems with its finances, curriculum or relationship with teachers that need to be addressed by the next superintendent.
“There’s a lot of satisfaction out there,” Gerald Freitag, one of two School Exec Connect consultants working with the board, said last month when the profile was unveiled.
What people do want is a superintendent who is well versed in the use of social media to promote the district and communicate with parents and other district residents. Board member Brian Stevens suggested the next superintendent be tasked with leading a communication initiative.
The district’s top administrator should also be focused on attracting and retaining quality employees even though this is not a problem, Joe Sheehan, the other consultant working with the board, said.
“They want this to continue,” he said.
Community involvement is important.
“It’s clear the superintendent needs to be not only part of the district but part of the whole community,” Sheehan said.
Freitag said, “You have that, but there’s a fear it won’t continue. People want that to continue.”
The superintendent should be open-minded and take a collaborative approach to leading the district.
“The key is you’re looking for someone who is a shepherd, someone who is willing to involve others and facilitate,” Freitag said.
Focus groups and survey participants also recommended the district create a strategic vision for the future in light of the pandemic, politics and the changing demographics of the area, Freitag said.
“The question is, what will the district look like in five years?” he said. “They think you should spend some time with your new leader and think about this.”
Board members stressed that the superintendent should be student-focused and understand that the district is committed to educating and providing programs for students who have a variety of goals.
“I think we’re a district not just focused on college-bound students,” Fritsch said. “We’re a district that wants high academic achievement but is not only about the top tier of students.”
In a related matter, the board on Monday reviewed its code of ethical conduct ahead of the series of closed meetings it will hold as part of the superintendent search.
Specifically, the board discussed proposed additions gleaned from the bylaws of other school districts, most of which stress the obligation of board members to keep matters discussed in meetings closed to the public confidential.
Weber said the review of the code served as a refresher for board members who rarely meet in closed session.
“When you do something so infrequently, it’s good to have a reminder,” he said.
Although the discussion focused on the code of ethics, board member Brian McCutcheon said he wants a review of another section of the bylaw that addresses board membership and conduct.
“I would like to discuss board member compensation,” he said. “I’ve been on the board for over 20 years and it (board member pay) is exactly the same as it was on Day One.”
Board members are paid $1,200 a year, which covers one board meeting and one committee meeting a month. Board members receive additional payments of $25 or $50, depending on length, for attending meetings or events in excess of the two per month.
“I know we don’t do this for the money, but I think this is something we should take a look at,” McCutcheon said.
The board referred the bylaw to the Policy Committee.
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