The Cave Creek Unified School District governing board voted Oct. 14 to engage HYA (Hazard, Young, Attea) to lead the district's superintendent search after considering multiple firms and discussing local needs and reputational concerns.

The agenda item presented three firms for consideration: ASA (an education-focused nonprofit), McPherson & Jacobson and HYA. Board members weighed trade-offs such as ASA's local educator background, McPherson & Jacobson's recruiting resources and HYA's community-engagement approach. Member Fortney and others said HYA's methods for drawing the community into the process and its reporting tools appealed to the board given Cave Creek's tight-knit community dynamic.

President Greer called for a motion to consider firms; after discussion a motion was made and then amended to select HYA. The board voted in favor; President Greer recorded the vote as ayes with no opposition. Board members and staff said they will review HYA's contract and may negotiate price and scope before signing, and district staff noted budget funds are available to pay for the search work.

Why this matters: superintendent searches shape district leadership and strategy; the board said it views community involvement as important and wanted a firm that can recruit broadly while engaging local stakeholders. Board members noted the national turnover of superintendents and the urgency of completing a search promptly.

Details from the discussion: board members emphasized HYA's community engagement process and an applicant tracking/reporting portal as attractive features. Some members voiced reservations about ASA based on firms' past placements in other districts and cited reputation and warranty (post-hire involvement) features as evaluation criteria. The board also asked staff to seek contract terms and potential price matching or additional warranty services before final execution.

Action taken: the governing board selected HYA as the firm to conduct the superintendent search. Staff will return with negotiated contract terms for final approval.

Clarifying details: the search firms discussed were ASA (nonprofit), McPherson & Jacobson (for-profit), and HYA. The board's recorded vote was unanimous among members present; one board member was absent.