Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Superintendent Search topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Central CUSD 301 board selects School Exec Connect to lead superintendent search
Summary
The Central CUSD 301 Board of Education voted to hire School Exec Connect to conduct its superintendent search after hearing presentations from five firms. Board members cited the firm’s placement guarantees and retention track record in their decision.
The Central CUSD 301 Board of Education voted to retain School Exec Connect to conduct the district’s superintendent search, board members decided during a public meeting that included presentations from five search firms.
School Exec Connect’s associate Brian Barnhart said the firm emphasizes early stakeholder engagement and a custom candidate profile, noting, “Every search has been completed on time and within budget.” President and co-owner Kevin O’Meara highlighted the company’s guarantees, saying, “If your candidate resigns or is dismissed or leaves for any reason within the 24 months of that person being placed, we do the search for free.”
The board took up presentations from School Exec Connect, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), Educational Leadership Solutions, the Illinois association presenter, and an individual consultant (Kathy). After brief discussion among trustees about cost, guarantees and perceived fit for Burlington Central, a motion to approve School Exec Connect passed on a roll-call vote.
Why it matters: Selecting a search firm sets the process, timeline and candidate pool for replacing the district superintendent. Board members said they wanted a firm that would recruit aggressively, engage parents and staff, and provide a lengthy transition and post-hire support.
Details of the firm’s proposal presented to the board included an advertising and recruiting plan, stakeholder surveys and focus groups, candidate screening and a slate of finalists for interviews. Kevin O’Meara outlined a sample timeline: profile development beginning in June, opening the applicant pool in September and delivering finalist candidates in early November so a hire could be in place with a July 2026 start if the board so chose.
On costs, School Exec Connect stated the search fee and estimated expenses during the presentation: “Cost associated with the search is $16.05 for the fee itself. Our expenses won’t exceed $2,200,” a figure provided to the board during the meeting. Board members discussed price differences across firms during their deliberations; some trustees said they were comfortable paying more for the guarantees and retention history that School Exec Connect emphasized.
Board discussion compared firms on personalization, networks and price. Several trustees said they favored School Exec Connect for its retention statistics and the clarity of its guarantees; other trustees had preferred different presenters for reasons including local knowledge or lower cost.
The roll-call vote approving School Exec Connect was recorded as follows: Hurst—yes; Marvika—yes; Babbas—yes; Dugan—yes; Gorman—yes; Lawson—yes. The motion passed.
After the vote the board adjourned open session and moved into closed session.
What’s next: The board will work with School Exec Connect to finalize a planning meeting, set stakeholder engagement steps and confirm the timeline for candidate recruitment, screening and interviews.
