Saline Area Schools board selects MASB to run superintendent search

The Saline Area Schools Board of Education voted Jan. 28 to hire the Michigan Association of School Boards to conduct the district's search for a new superintendent.

The decision followed presentations by three search firms ' Ray & Associates, the Michigan Leadership Institute and MASB ' and a discussion of timelines, stakeholder input and background checks. Jay Bennett, assistant director for executive search services at MASB, told the board MASB was organized to serve school boards statewide: "We are your organization; we only serve boards of education." The board then moved to retain MASB and approved the motion in open session by voice vote.

Board members said they weighed several considerations, including candidate vetting practices, cost and how each firm proposed to gather community input. Presenters described similar multi-step processes: in-district stakeholder meetings and online surveys to build a candidate profile, active national and regional recruitment and multi-level vetting including reference and background checks. MASB emphasized public, open-meeting deliberations where the board and community see survey results and candidate materials; it also offers follow-up workshops and mentorship supports after placement.

Members debated tradeoffs among the proposals. One firm, Ray & Associates, described a three-level vetting process and a two-year guarantee that had board members' attention, while another, the Michigan Leadership Institute, highlighted site visits and post-hire mentoring. Board members also noted that the firms quoted different prices in their proposals and discussions; the Michigan Leadership Institute presenter listed a fee of $8,200 plus direct expenses and a typical mileage cap, while Ray & Associates' fee point discussed during the meeting was higher (board members discussed an $18,000 figure cited in materials). MASB's proposal discussed services and process in depth during its presentation but did not include a firm fee in the oral presentation at the meeting; the board did not record a public contract amount at the time of the vote.

Board members and consultants also reviewed legal and procedural limits. Presenters told the board how they would protect candidate confidentiality and comply with Michigan's Open Meetings Act (OMA) during deliberations. Jay Bennett said MASB assigns candidates random numbers for initial public discussion and releases names only after candidates accept interviews, a step he said helps maintain confidentiality while allowing public deliberation.

The board named Trustee Jennifer Stebben to serve as the board liaison to coordinate scheduling and logistics with the selected firm while the search moves forward. The board discussed an approximate search timeline that would likely place a finalist selection in the spring, with a new superintendent transition planned before the current superintendent's retirement in June.

What the board did and did not decide: the board voted to hire MASB to conduct the search and authorized staff to coordinate next steps; it did not approve a final contract amount during the meeting. Members asked for follow-up details on logistics, the recruitment timeline tied to the district calendar and the format and language of the stakeholder survey and candidate profile.

Board discussion is ongoing. The board president said he would send formal letters to the firms after the meeting.