Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Superintendent Hiring topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Candidates at Cornwall Central forum urge broad hiring committee after superintendent announces departure
Summary
Candidates at a Cornwall Central School District forum said Superintendent Dave has announced he will leave at the end of next month and urged the board to form a hiring committee that includes teachers, students, parents and community members to find a successor who can 'hit the ground running.'
Several candidates at a Cornwall Central School District candidate forum said Superintendent Dave has announced he will leave the district at the end of next month, and they urged a broad, stakeholder-driven search for his successor.
Candidates said the board should include teachers, administrators, parents, students and community members on a hiring committee so the next superintendent can transition smoothly and respond quickly to district needs. "We need to involve all aspects of safety, right? So the board of education, teachers, administration, parents, community members," one candidate said when describing who should be on a hiring panel.
Why it matters: the superintendent is the district's chief executive and will oversee ongoing academic and facilities planning, including any future capital projects. Candidates repeatedly said the district needs someone with relevant experience who can work with the board and the community.
On the composition of a search, Richard Schaffner, running for re-election, said, "I think involving as many different facets of the community as we can, in the decision" helps produce a candidate the district can support. Several other candidates echoed that the committee should include long-tenured employees and newer staff to capture diverse perspectives.
Qualifications candidates emphasized include relevant experience, rapport with teachers and students, strong communication skills and the ability to begin work with a minimal learning curve. One candidate said they would "hope that the board as a whole would be looking for, you want somebody who, is committed to academic excellence" and who is "a great communicator."
The forum did not produce any formal board decisions or timelines; candidates described preferences for an inclusive process and a superintendent who can lead while the board addresses capital, budget and enrollment issues. The board will need to set an official search timeline and committee membership in a public meeting.
Ending: Candidates encouraged public participation in the upcoming budget forum and local elections, and urged the community to follow the board for formal announcements about the superintendent search.
