Finding Leaders, a national search firm, presented its approach to conducting a superintendent search for the Perrysburg Exempted Village school board at a Nov. 13 special meeting, outlining candidate outreach, stakeholder engagement and a sample timeline that would aim to name a superintendent by late March.

The board convened the one-item meeting at the Commodore Building to interview search firms after the OSBA proposal was withdrawn and K–12 Education declined to submit a proposal. Finding Leaders’ consultant Steve Farnsworth and colleague Melissa Conrad described a three-part approach they called the “3 R’s”: responsibility (the board retains statutory authority to hire), relationship (transition support and ongoing coaching for the new superintendent) and recruiting (proactive outreach to potential candidates rather than relying solely on posted vacancies).

Farnsworth said the firm typically attracts more than 20 applicants and vets candidates down to roughly six semifinalists for the board’s review, then recommends narrowing to two finalists. “We typically will get 20 plus candidates,” Farnsworth said. “We typically bring the board of education someplace in the neighborhood of 6 semifinalists.” He described a process of community and staff focus groups, group interviews and structured debriefs to build a shared profile of the district’s next leader. Farnsworth also said finalists are given full compensation-package details and asked whether they would accept the position if offered to avoid late surprises.

Board members pressed the firm on logistics and costs. Farnsworth said an Ohio-focused advertising package would run about $500 while broader, nationwide advertising could raise the cost toward $2,000. On candidate assessments, Farnsworth said the Harrison talent assessment is a separate fee, “about $350 each” per candidate (figure given as approximate). The board also discussed the expected time commitment: Farnsworth warned the process can be time-intensive, likely requiring multiple special meetings during the search window.

Members asked about who from district administration should be involved. Farnsworth recommended limiting active questioners to the board while allowing the treasurer or other administrators to observe and contribute during debriefs. He also explained that portions of the candidate interview process are typically held in executive session to permit candid discussion and protect fairness in the process.

No formal selection or vote on engaging Finding Leaders occurred at the meeting. The board adopted the meeting agenda at the start and adjourned after the presentation. “Both Steve and Melissa, thank you very much. Thank you for all the information,” the presiding member said before adjourning.

Next steps identified by the board include reviewing Finding Leaders’ packet materials and determining scheduling needs for interviews and focus groups; the board did not take action to hire a search firm at this session.