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Regional committee to solicit internal superintendent applicants; final hiring decision tabled
Summary
The Southwick‑Tolland‑Granville Regional School District School Committee discussed opening an internal application window in March for the superintendent role but agreed to table any final hiring decision until members receive a job description and hear from current Superintendent Willard at the next meeting.
Chair Robert Stevenson opened a discussion on the district's upcoming superintendent vacancy and proposed opening an internal application period in March so qualified district staff could be considered for a superintendent‑elect position.
Liz Lafond, the consultant invited to advise the committee, said internal candidates often reduce transition disruption and can be prepared to step into leadership with minimal loss of momentum. "If there is some of you well qualified, in the district already, you are ahead of the game," Lafond said, and she estimated a formal paid external search runs about $10,500 and takes roughly three to four months.
Committee members pressed for safeguards to ensure community confidence. A committee member said it was important that any selected internal candidate "earned the position against all options and wasn't just handed the position," and requested open houses and public interviews so residents could weigh in.
Stevenson outlined a tentative timeline: open internal applications in March, convene a subcommittee and hold initial interviews in April, host community meet‑and‑greets and public interviews in May, and — if the committee is satisfied — place a superintendent‑elect into a shadowing role for the coming year. Several members asked for a clear job description, explicit selection criteria and an explanation of certification requirements (Lafond noted a typical supervised internship requirement of about 300 hours for candidates lacking certification).
After discussion the committee agreed to table any final hiring decision and to return the item at the next meeting when Superintendent Willard will attend and a job description will be distributed for review. The committee did not take a formal vote to hire or to begin an external search at this meeting.
The committee signaled it remains open to internal and external options and said it would prioritize transparency, community feedback and clear criteria before making any appointment.
