Fayetteville-Manlius board hires OCM BOCES consultant to lead superintendent search

The Fayetteville-Manlius Central School District Board of Education voted to engage OCM BOCES district superintendent Matthew L. Cook to facilitate the district's superintendent search and to help the board develop the job description, timeline and stakeholder process.

Board President Fitzgerald opened the discussion, describing an RFP process and the board's decision to down-select three firms before reaching consensus on OCM BOCES and Dr. Matthew L. Cook. "This is the board search. This is not my search," Cook said, summarizing his approach and adding that he would facilitate stakeholder input and screen candidates.

Cook told the board there are two typical search models: an "open" search that brings finalists to meet stakeholder groups (often called a "day in the district") and a "confidential" search that front-loads surveys and focus groups so only the board sees finalists. He said both approaches take about the same total time but attract different candidate pools; confidential searches tend to attract sitting superintendents who prefer not to be publicly identified early in the process.

Cook said he will screen applicants, conduct reference checks, arrange schedules and provide the board with interview materials and stakeholder feedback. He recommended all board members attend key sessions and said advertising will be done through New York State School Boards Association and the New York State Council of School Superintendents; candidates from outside New York will be considered but must hold or obtain New York State administrative certification.

Following the presentation the board moved to formalize the engagement. "Be it resolved that the Board of Education of the Fayetteville Manlius Central School District hereby engages OCM BOCES district superintendent Matthew L Cook in regards to the Fayetteville Manlius superintendent search in accordance with the resolution below," the district clerk read. A motion to approve was made by Daryl and seconded by Dan; the board chair called for the vote and no opposed or abstaining votes were raised.

Next steps described by Cook included drafting survey questions, holding focus groups, conducting first- and second-round interviews and deciding whether to run an open or confidential search. Cook estimated the process commonly takes about six months but said the district has "the luxury of some time" and could stretch the timeline if the board prefers more thorough stakeholder engagement.

The board approved a resolution to engage OCM BOCES and Cook to begin the superintendent search process and asked staff to schedule the board workshop and other decision points in the coming month.