Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Superintendent Search topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
East Aurora USD 131 board approves superintendent leadership profile to begin national search
Summary
The Board of Education for Aurora East USD 131 voted to approve a leadership profile prepared by consulting firm BWP and Associates, allowing the district to begin screening applicants for its superintendent vacancy.
The Board of Education for Aurora East USD 131 on Jan. 31 approved a leadership profile prepared by BWP and Associates that will guide a national search for the district's next superintendent.
Consultant Dr. Deborah Hill, managing director of BWP and Associates, summarized findings from a community audit and leadership profile prepared after engagement activities that ran from Dec. 8 to Jan. 12. Hill said the outreach included focus groups, phone interviews and an online survey, with about 890 participants overall and roughly 101 Spanish-language responses.
Hill told the board the profile lifts qualities the community prioritized: strong communication, leadership and organizational and interpersonal skills; and characteristics such as community commitment, integrity and decisive decision-making. Hill said BWP will begin screening roughly 30 applicants and expects to identify an initial slate of candidates for Zoom interviews.
Board members moved and seconded a motion to approve the leadership profile and called the roll. The motion passed with all members present voting yes.
Hill outlined BWP's screening process: the firm will screen applications against the leadership profile, select about 8—10 applicants for further review, conduct background and media checks, then present a recommended slate of semifinalists and finalists. Hill said first-round interviews for board members should be conducted by Zoom and recommended limiting interviews to two candidates per night.
Hill also described the firm's confidentiality procedures: BWP will not release the full list of applicants publicly, will provide secured personnel materials via a protected dropbox to board members, and will deliver —one-pagers' summarizing recommended candidates when presenting finalists. She said the new superintendent would be expected to start on or before July 1.
No alternate profile language or amendments were proposed during the meeting; board members said they found the draft broad enough to attract a range of candidates.
Action taken: approval of the leadership profile directs BWP to proceed with screening and the subsequent candidate interview process. The board and consultants discussed scheduling the training and candidate presentation for a later date and indicated interview dates will be set in February and March.
Votes at a glance: motion to approve the superintendent leadership profile ' approved by roll call (see Actions section for the full vote record).
Background: Hill said outreach produced both quantitative and qualitative data and emphasized the importance of presenting candidates who match the district's identified priorities. The profile emphasizes being a —child-centered' collaborative leader with experience in diverse settings and demonstrated community commitment; speaking Spanish is listed as an asset but not a requirement.
What's next: If the board accepts the profile tonight, BWP will screen applicants, present a slate to the board for interview training and candidate interviews, and assist with contract negotiations and onboarding if a finalist is chosen.
