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Prior Lake-Savage board agrees to hire search firm, remains split on interim vs. full superintendent search
Summary
After a special meeting, the Prior Lake‑Savage Area Schools board unanimously agreed to engage a search firm (MSBA) to fill the superintendent role; members remained divided on whether to hire an interim or start a full search and pivot if needed.
The Prior Lake‑Savage Area Schools Board unanimously agreed to work with a search firm to fill the district’s superintendent vacancy, but the board remains divided on whether to appoint an interim leader or launch a full search.
MSBA consultant Barb Dorne told the board on April 21 that districts typically run a full superintendent search over three to four months, with substantial community engagement. An interim appointment, Dorne said, can be done in weeks, allows less community input and can be either an internal or external hire. She emphasized that any candidate serving July 1 must hold a current Minnesota superintendent or provisional license.
The board polled members on a preferred approach. All members said they would work with a search firm. On the question of interim versus full search, four members said they favored an interim to provide continuity for the district amid a possible fall levy and other near‑term priorities; three members said they preferred opening a full search now and keeping the option to pivot to an interim if the candidate pool proved weak.
Directors who supported an interim cited continuity, the district’s near‑term needs and the difficulty of robust community engagement on a compressed timeline. Directors who favored a full search said a broader pool would better ensure the “right” long‑term hire and that an interim could be used later if the search did not produce a suitable candidate.
The board did not take a formal vote on a final timeline or contract tonight and asked administration to return with options and cost estimates. Dorne told the board MSBA can support either path — including posting a position and accepting applications while preserving the option for a quick interim — but that details such as contract terms, salary range, and whether candidate names are public must be spelled out in advance.
Next procedural steps: the board asked staff to gather written cost and process options from MSBA and report back at the next meeting so the board can decide whether to authorize a formal search agreement.
