RSU 5 starts superintendent search; committee selection and community survey planned

RSU 5 officials outlined the district's timeline and public-engagement plan for the superintendent search, including formation of a search committee, mandatory training for committee members and a community survey to gather stakeholder priorities.

The position was posted the week prior to the meeting. Administration invited community members to apply to serve on a search committee that will include board members, staff, students, parents and community members; the committee will be no larger than 11 people because of meeting-room capacity. The committee is scheduled to attend virtual mandatory training on May 28 that explains legal and HR obligations, and candidates will be reviewed in an online portal. First-round interviews are planned for June 10; the committee will then recommend finalists to the full board for final interviews and hire.

Superintendent Jean and administrators said the timeline aims to complete interviews and hire a candidate who could start by the beginning of the school year, noting many administrators have roughly 60-day notice requirements. The district will also distribute a community survey to solicit input about leadership priorities; the draft survey was shown to the board and staff asked for quick review because they planned to open the survey within days and keep it open for roughly two weeks.

Board members discussed logistics for committee selection and timeline constraints; they asked staff to provide finalists' application materials through the portal in advance of board interviews. The district encouraged community members to submit letters of interest by the listed deadline and said it will publicize committee selections.