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Milton board launches superintendent search process and schedules Jan. 5 special meeting to choose a search firm
Summary
The board discussed hiring a search firm to recruit a superintendent, reviewed proposals (including McPherson and HYA), asked members to rank top two firms, and scheduled a Jan. 5 special meeting after board development to decide whether to hire a firm for a January start of outreach.
The Milton School District board opened a substantive discussion on its superintendent search, weighing whether to hire an external search firm or pursue an in-house process. Speaker 2 said the district had solicited proposals and that several firms — including McPherson and HYA — signaled they could begin outreach immediately after a Jan. 12 vote and that posting in January would help attract passive candidates.
Chris from the human resources department said HR could support the board but did not have capacity to lead a full search without additional time and resources. Board members emphasized the value of search firms’ networks — retired superintendents and statewide contacts — for attracting high-quality candidates while noting that the district should retain flexibility to make direct contacts if desired. Several firms described candidate portals that allow the board to review materials (HYA and Waz were noted) and said they would both post and actively call potential candidates rather than relying solely on postings.
Board members discussed 'must-have' criteria for a search firm and candidate pool: proven track record and references, regional experience (Southern Wisconsin), flexibility, and the ability to meet a timeline that would place a superintendent in the role next school year. One board member called hiring a superintendent "the most important thing" the board will do and urged using experts to run the process.
To keep momentum, the board agreed to schedule a special public meeting on Jan. 5 after the board-development session, asked board members to come prepared with their top two firm rankings and rationales, and requested volunteers for a small subcommittee to work with HR. The board emphasized care with open-meeting rules: the president and HR chair can conduct limited outreach and prepare materials for public posting so the full board can review information without violating quorum rules.
The board did not select a firm at this meeting; next steps include clarifying whether contracts would limit the district’s ability to do its own outreach (Speaker 2 said he would verify), verifying which firms provide candidate portals, and collecting board rankings for discussion at the Jan. 5 special meeting.
