Hiring a School Superintendent
This week I attended the public interviews of candidates for school superintendent in a nearby school district. That night the school board members clearly demonstrated two disciplines from the Governance Excellence Model.
The board demonstrated “respect for the owners”, the residents of the school district, by choosing to have public interviews. The board members realize that they are accountable to the residents. The meeting room had capacity for many observers so the public could understand the process and the range of people considered for this high profile position. The board provided an opportunity for community members to submit questions for board members to ask the candidates. It also provided refreshments and scheduled time for the candidates to meet and dialogue with those in attendance. The board members also talked with the attendees, giving the opportunity for feedback. Showing such respect for the owners builds the community members’ trust in the board to serve their interests.
The board’s focus that evening was to “select prominent leadership”; to ensure that the operational leader is equipped to serve the organization’s purpose well. Each superintendent candidate was asked to make a 30-minute presentation sharing information that he thought would help the board members better understand his capacity to be an excellent superintendent. Board members then asked questions to learn how the candidate would address various challenges within a school superintendent’s role. The board, in advance, had considered some important criteria for selecting the successful candidate and followed a process that uncovered relevant information.
The school board took thoughtful action to fulfill what is often considered a board’s most important job, the selection of a new senior staff person; and the board is keeping the owners informed along the way. When the new superintendent is announced in a few weeks I expect the community will have confidence in the board’s choice. The next phase of this school district’s work will be positioned for success.
