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Albert Lea board hires MSBA to lead superintendent search, plans community outreach and timeline
Summary
The board voted to retain MSBA to conduct the district's superintendent search, discussed possible kickoff dates and agreed to post the vacancy while MSBA schedules the public search-process meeting; board members emphasized community feedback and outreach to candidate communities.
The Albert Lea Public School District board voted to retain MSBA to lead the district’s superintendent search and discussed next steps for candidate recruitment, community input and timeline-setting.
A motion to hire MSBA as the district’s search firm was made and seconded and the board voted to approve the engagement (vote recorded in the transcript as approved). Board members described the MSBA proposal as “comprehensive” and noted that the firm has guided prior district searches. The board appointed a representative to work with MSBA on scheduling and logistics.
Board members discussed scheduling a kickoff meeting with MSBA staff to establish timelines and the community-input process. The transcript records that MSBA representative Barb Dorn provided availability windows; the board discussed late‑January dates and considered an initial two‑hour evening meeting to set timelines and search parameters. One board member asked that the district also post the superintendent vacancy promptly; district staff member Ashley confirmed the posting would proceed.
Members emphasized broad community involvement during the finalist stage and suggested multiple feedback channels: stakeholder surveys, representative community interview panels (examples cited included community groups, district staff such as teachers and custodians, and administration), and outreach by board members to leaders in candidates’ home communities to collect background information. Board members noted finalist confidentiality rules limit how early finalist names can be shared and said community vetting would occur after finalists are identified.
The board and staff also discussed practical planning for the search process, including whether to use MSBA’s national recruitment reach or to add a la carte search options (board members noted additional listing options may incur extra cost). The board asked MSBA to schedule an initial planning meeting and indicated it would coordinate availability with MSBA representative Barb Dorn.
Ending
The board approved MSBA and directed staff to proceed with posting and scheduling; further details about exact kickoff dates and the public involvement plan will be finalized with MSBA and reported by district staff.
