Board gets timeline for Withrow and Taft principal searches; policy language on interim conflicts reiterated

The Cincinnati Public Schools board on Aug. 4 discussed the principal selection process for Withrow and Taft high schools and received a detailed timeline from superintendent staff. Administration said both principal postings opened July 1 and remained active for the standard 10-day window. Human Resources reviewed candidates on July 28 and provided recommendations for the assistant superintendent overseeing high schools. The administration told the board it will reconvene Local School Decision-Making Committees (LSDMCs) for needs assessments and stakeholder engagement Aug. 18–27, conduct interviews Sept. 9–15, and forward recommended candidates to the superintendent. The superintendent expects to bring recommendations to the board either at the Sept. 22 meeting or the Oct. 4 meeting. Board members asked for explicit language to prevent conflicts of interest. The administration confirmed the policy already requires stakeholder selection of LSDMC members and emphasized that an interim principal who is a candidate should not participate in selection activity. Board counsel and administration agreed to make that expectation explicit in the process documentation. Members also discussed special circumstances for absorbing schools and noted that if the district realizes additional opportunities to absorb existing schools, staff should use a separate checklist and process for those consolidations rather than try to force them into a standard principal-selection flow. The board asked administration to share the full posting, the candidate vetting rubric and a clear schedule for community interviews once the LSDMC meetings are scheduled.