School Exact Connect outlines 18-statement candidate profile and timeline for Kirkwood superintendent search

School Exact Connect presented the firm's compiled profile for the next Kirkwood School District superintendent and walked the board through the recruitment timeline at the Oct. 28 meeting.

Dr Kevin o omara, identified as the firm's president, said the presentation drew on 61 participants in focus groups and open forums and 433 survey responses. "These data were used to create a profile for recruitment and selection of the ideal candidate," he said. The firm then listed 18 non-ranked profile statements describing the desired candidate, including equity-minded leadership, strong instructional expertise, fiscal management experience and an ability to rebuild trust in a highly engaged community.

Diane Robertson outlined the screening steps: a resume review using the 18 statements as a lens, two days of face-to-face resume screenings (scheduled the week after the meeting), first-round interviews on Nov. 15'16, a finalist round Nov. 24 and confidentiality-guarded background checks. Robertson emphasized the firm will "guide the board" through narrowing candidates but will not pick, rank or vote for candidates.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the screening lens and the raw data; presenters said the district would receive raw data within a day or two. The board and consultants agreed on confidentiality practices for candidates and a plan for the board's interview training on Nov. 11.

Votes taken earlier in the meeting approved the meeting agenda, the consent agenda (items 5.01'5.17) and the September 2024 financial statements by voice vote; individual board member votes were not recorded in the public minutes.

Next steps: the firm will deliver raw data to the board staff, hold scheduled screenings and present a slate of candidates for board interviews in mid-November, with a target to finalize a hire by mid-December.