Board hears ASA plan for superintendent search, asks for expedited interim quote

The Liberty Elementary School District Governing Board on June 16 heard a consultant presentation on conducting a permanent and an interim superintendent search and requested a rapid pricing estimate to begin an interim search that could be completed within about four weeks.

Consultant Mark Jornstead of ASA told the board his firm's typical permanent search runs in six phases: profile development, posting and recruiting, application screening, board interviews, contract negotiation and open-meeting approval. Jornstead said a permanent search can reasonably be completed on an August-to-December timeline if the board moves forward immediately. "Often boards post in August, close applications in October and could approve a candidate in December," he said.

For an interim, Jornstead recommended a compressed process. "If you're going for an interim, you need to get moving," he told the board, suggesting a 1- to 2-week posting period and interviews and decision within a month so an interim could be in place before school starts. He said ASA has several retired superintendents who have expressed willingness to take short-term interim assignments.

Board direction and next steps

Board members expressed urgency about filling an interim before the school year and asked ASA to provide a written cost estimate for a four-week interim search and a brief scope of proposed steps so the board could approve the engagement quickly. "If we're going to…