March 23, 2018 – West Bend, WI – There was a work session with five members of the West Bend School Board on Friday morning, March 23. Discussion focused on moving forward with posting the position for a new superintendent and the calendar on interviews and a final hire. The West Bend School District has been without a full-time superintendent since December 2017.
Representatives from the consulting firm and McPherson & Jacobson, LLC oversaw the meeting which was attended by board members Joel Ongert, Monte Schmiege, Tim Stallmacher and Tiffany Larson. Tonnie Schmidt phoned in.
Details were presented from the stakeholder meetings held earlier this week. Click HERE for more details.
-A visionary leader, has proven administrative/leadership experience.
-Visible within the school community demonstrates optimism and outgoing personality with excellent communication skills, sincere and genuine.
-Fiscal understanding: district budgeting, construction and maintenance
-Who is a team builder, with strategic skills and knows how to build, maintain and develop and organization.
Location: 40-miles north of downtown Milwaukee.
The Qualifications for Superintendent
The candidate must have the background, skills, and abilities essential for excellence in educational leadership. The board recognizes that selecting a superintendent is one of the most important decisions it will make. The board developed the following desired characteristics.
- A visionary leader who has proven administrative and leadership experience.
- Visible within the school and community, demonstrates optimism, an outgoing personality with excellent communication skills. A caring person who is sincere authentic and genuine.
- A leader that demonstrates fiscal understanding in district budgeting, resources construction and maintenance of facilities.
- A team builder with strategic skills and knows how to build, maintain and develop an organization.
Search timeline:
Closing date for applications: April 23, 2018 11:30 p.m. central time
Board of Education selects semi-finalists to interview: Week of May 7, 2018
Semi-finalist interviews with the Board of Education: Week of May 14, 2018
Finalists Interviews with the Board of Education: Week of May 21, 2018
Selection of new superintendent . Week of May 28, 2018
Start date: July 2018
Some of the work process details on the calendar discussion are below.
Monday, May 28 is Memorial Day and Tonnie Schmidt will not be there
Joel Ongert – can we meet in June.
Tiffany – can we call a special meeting.
Joel – it would be an open meeting to vote on the contract. Open session week of May 28 to vote on the contract.
Monte – I have a New York State School Board evaluation model and one area not covered is relations with the board and working with the board. Since this is the board’s employee that seems to be important. Offers professional advice to the board, keeps board informed, positive working relationship with board.
Dave H – that’s more of a job description item.
McP – Melissa – references professionalism and licensure. You as a board and admin team should be reviewing that job description.
McPhearson – I know you were concerned about the timeline.
“We all decided we want the person who we all agree,” said Tonnie Schmidt.
Looking at schedules in the month of May
Monday, May 7 – 5 p.m. – have a short regular school board meeting. Tonnie cannot call into a closed meeting.
Limit of four call ins per year – this is a board meeting. Was asked if that was policy. Closed meeting she cannot call in.
Adjust the start time of the board meeting and 5:15 would be shifted and then start time for super would be 6:30 p.m.
May 7 is scholarship night in the district according to Deb Roensch. At the Silver Lining Amphitheatre.
Tiffany Larson said “this takes precedence.”
Week of May 14 for full day of interviews and then the best interest
Wednesday and Monday or Thursday would be day for full interviews. If board met on Monday, May 7 and then conducted interviews on Wed or Thursday.
Adjustment to board calendar. Closed Monday, May 7 and regular board meeting Monday, May 14.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday evening May 21, 22, 23, process is a full day of first round interviews and primarily as a board meeting –vet candidates. Board needs to be comfortable enough to pass along to the community. Have 2 – 4 finalists to bring back. Candidate would spend an hour around town. Then there would be a staff gathering. Then the board meets at a restaurant with candidate to round out that experience. 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Full day interviews Wednesday, May 16 first round of interviews
Monday, May 21 is regular board meeting.
Melissa suggested holding three days – Wed, Thurs, Friday and that abuts Memorial Day
On Thursday the board could meet in the evening on May 24.
Week of May 28 – selection of new superintendent ( behind the scenes Dave is working with new hire and board meets evening of May 24 and if board says no then you need a contingency plan)
July 1, 2018 – starting date for superintendent
Brian and I (Melissa) from McPhearson loved to meet with students on Tuesday. Also with police chief and mayor. We culled all that info from all that group.
Share stakeholder themes:
-significant leadership experience
-Strong interpersonal skills including decisiveness – especially when a decision needs to be made and be insightful
-Resilience and political savvy – ability to work with political factions
-Strategic – someone who can see the big picture and the follow through
-trust builder
-relationships and students and trust factor
-strong communicator and an ambassador
-making a long-term commitment
-someone who can engage and collaborate with all constituents rather than being reactionary
Next will get a list from each of the five different groups and then a summary of main themes. This is a good start according to Melissa.
Tiffany Larson noted – you met with our teachers.
Monte Schmiege – May 22 and May 24 – last time we selected the superintendent we got some feedback.
Melissa from McPhearson – dinner with candidates is meant to be informal but you can ask candidates questions and by time end of dinner comes then you could go into closed session and review the feedback. You will review while it’s fresh in your mind and then have info needed to make a recommendation.
Closed session agenda –
Mr. Schmiege’s wisdom certainly shines forth. Being concerned about the relationship between the board and superintendent is vital. Perhaps taking this into consideration will prevent another potential for a large pay out in the future. Always vigilant for the taxpayers. Thank you.