Northshore School District interviews three superintendent-search firms; board presses on outreach, translation and cost

The Northshore School District Board of Directors convened a special meeting to interview three superintendent-search firms and hear each firm’s approach to recruiting, vetting and transitioning a new superintendent. Presentations and follow-up questions focused on the firms’ community engagement plans, language-translation capacity, optional survey work and fee structures; the board did not make a contract decision at the meeting.

Why it matters: The board is preparing to hire a new superintendent and emphasized a search process designed to reach the district’s racially, linguistically and socioeconomically diverse communities while protecting the district’s budget. Board members said they want a robust leadership-profile process and finalist engagement that will help the board identify a long-term fit.

All three firms — HYA (local team), McPherson & Jacobson, and Ray and Associates — outlined five-phase search processes (board planning, stakeholder engagement and profile development, active recruitment, semifinalist/finalist interviews and transition/first-year support) and offered a combination of in-person and remote engagement options. HYA summarized its work with three words, saying it centers “responsiveness, inclusiveness and commitment,” and described a national network combined with local associates to actively recruit a diverse candidate pool (Chris McDuffie, HYA associate). HYA presented a base fee of $31,000, said its base includes four on-site days and offered an optional research-based survey (quoted cost: $2,000 base; roughly $3,000 with custom questions) and additional-language survey translations at about $415 per additional language.

McPherson & Jacobson emphasized a structured, customizable search and retention data for placements, and described a not-to-exceed package of about $31,300 that the presenter said would include advertising, video interviews, background verifications and travel. Their presentation stressed tailoring the timeline and engagement to the district’s needs and offered an optional, intensive first-year support program and a two-year placement guarantee tied to mutually agreed performance objectives.

Ray and Associates described a process that pairs board interviews and robust stakeholder outreach (in-person focus groups, student engagement, and an online assessment) and said it will present a ranked short list with video materials and a “consensus-building matrix” to help the board compare finalists. Ray highlighted that its associate team includes bilingual staff and that the firm will adapt translation strategies to district preferences and community needs.

Board focus and questions: Board members — Amy Cass, board president; Elizabeth Sotak, board vice president; Han Tran, director; and Sandy Hayes, director (Director McGourty was absent but watching remotely) — pressed firms on practical details: how each firm will reach historically marginalized groups, whether translation is human or machine, whether the district could supply translators, how the firms would structure finalist days, and how optional services (research surveys, extended transition mentoring) would be priced and contracted. The firms offered similar answers: they prefer human translation for engagement and will work with district staff or contract local interpreters as needed; they can post an initial job announcement immediately and then refine the leadership profile after stakeholder input; and optional transition/mentoring services are negotiated separately based on hours or an agreed program.

Community engagement and students: Each firm described ways to reach families, staff and students, including in-person focus groups in community locations, targeted outreach to existing civic or student groups, live forums with interpretation, and online (Google) surveys as a parallel channel. Firms said they would work with the board and district staff to identify which meeting formats and languages will produce the best turnout and to coordinate with existing community meeting schedules.

Next steps: The board said it expects to complete interviews and then hold an internal discussion and voice vote to determine which firm to offer a contract; that contract would then come to the board for approval at a regular meeting the following week, with final negotiation to follow if the board selects a firm. No formal contract award or vote occurred during the presentations.

What wasn’t decided: The board did not select a firm, set a final language budget, or commit to paid optional services at the meeting. Several cost items (final pricing for extended transition support, custom survey add-ons and multi-language outreach beyond Spanish) were discussed as negotiable and contingent on district decisions.

Meeting context: The session was a special, livestreamed board meeting convened to hear three 30-minute firm presentations on the superintendent search; timing was tight because board members planned to attend a 7 p.m. joint meeting with the Kenmore City Council after the interviews. The board indicated it will appoint two board members to act as liaisons to the chosen firm if a contract is awarded.

For the record: Presenters and several board members emphasized a shared priority for equity and broad outreach; HYA said it includes equity and candidate diversity within its firm composition, McPherson & Jacobson emphasized a structured guaranteed process and retention data, and Ray and Associates highlighted in-person student and community work and a consensus-building tool for final selection.