Northshore School Board votes to launch RFP for permanent superintendent search

The Northshore School District Board of Directors voted unanimously to begin a request-for-proposal (RFP) process to hire a search firm to conduct a search for a permanent superintendent.

Board President Amy Cast opened the special meeting to discuss whether to appoint an interim leader or pursue a permanent search and whether to use district staff or an outside firm. After discussion of timing, cost and community engagement, a board member moved to start a search for a permanent superintendent and another member seconded the motion. The board then took a roll-call vote and approved the motion, with all voting members recorded in the affirmative.

Why it matters: the board must fill the superintendent role before Superintendent Tully’s planned June 30 departure. Board members said beginning an organized search now preserves time for community input, expands candidate reach and avoids paying separate fees for an interim and then a permanent search.

Discussion and findings Board members debated three linked questions: whether to appoint an interim or search for a permanent superintendent; whether to conduct the search using district staff or hire an outside search firm; and what level of community engagement to require.

Board President Amy Cast summarized the options and said the board had two action choices on the agenda: whether to hire a search firm and whether to post for an interim or permanent position. JoLynn Bergey, deputy superintendent and head of human resources, presented an updated sample RFP from the district’s prior search that the board could use as a baseline.

Members noted trade-offs. Board member Sandy Hayes said the district is earlier in the cycle than in previous years and that fewer comparable districts appear to be searching now, which could improve candidate availability. Board members argued that a search firm brings national recruiting networks and reduces staff workload; that work would otherwise be a considerable burden for district HR. The board discussed confidentiality practices used in past searches — keeping semifinalist identities confidential to protect current employment, then making finalists public and facilitating community interviews.

Community engagement described in prior searches and discussed for this one included translated surveys (staff noted past surveys were translated into the district’s top eight languages), in-person town halls, an interview panel including students and staff, and a public town-hall session for finalists. Board members said the level and number of engagement events could be tailored to avoid unnecessary repetition while maintaining accessibility via multiple feedback formats (surveys, forums, written input).

Cost and timing Board members discussed estimated fees and schedule. The sample RFP range cited to the board was approximately $30,000 to $50,000 for an outside search firm; that range included community-engagement work, candidate screening and assistance running interviews. The district plans to post an RFP on the following Monday if the motion passed. The sample timeline in the RFP runs from April 4 to May 16, though board members proposed a possible extension of deadlines to about May 30 to allow firms more time; the board noted statutory posting requirements require at least two weeks’ posting and other minimum timelines for public entities. The board expressed a target of naming a candidate by early June so there would be some overlap before Superintendent Tully’s last day on June 30.

Action taken The board approved a motion to initiate a search process to hire a search firm to identify a permanent superintendent. The motion, as moved and seconded on the record, passed by roll-call vote with all present board members recorded as voting yes. Human resources staff will post the RFP and coordinate timelines and vendor responses.

What the action does not do The board did not appoint an interim superintendent during the meeting. Members said HR and existing district leadership would manage interim operations while the RFP and search proceed. Board members also did not fix a final public-engagement schedule; they directed staff to consult with responding firms about engagement approaches and to return to the board with recommendations and any proposed timeline adjustments.

Ending Board members agreed to refine the sample RFP language over the weekend and to confer with deputy superintendent and HR staff about timeline adjustments based on vendor feedback. The special meeting was adjourned following procedural items and confirmation that the file would be recorded and then ended.