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Clintondale board votes unanimously to use professional firm for superintendent search
Summary
After finding many applications lacked required screening details, the Clintondale Community Schools board voted 7–0 to pause a board-only hire and instead contract experienced search professionals to lead the superintendent search, citing survey feedback and concerns about vetting and background checks.
The Clintondale Community Schools Board voted unanimously to require professional assistance in its superintendent search, citing community feedback and concerns about vetting the candidate pool.
Trustee Santini moved that the board "not proceed with the process of hiring a superintendent solely by this board without experienced professionals whose primary work centers on executive leadership selection of candidates for superintendents." Trustee Powers seconded the motion. After more than an hour of discussion about survey responses and the quality of resumes submitted, the board approved the motion 7–0.
Santini said the district needs structure and expertise for recruitment and screening, especially for background checks and reference verification. "You have to look at this with practicality, with common sense," she said, arguing that professionals can provide consistent vetting and reduce the risk of having to restart the process if finalists are later disqualified.
Supporters pointed to the district survey and to resumes that, in several cases, were incomplete or unclear. Trustee McDowell said she read every application and found some that appeared unrelated to the superintendent role. Trustee Zontini and Powers urged caution about rushing and emphasized the cost of getting the hire wrong; Powers called selection "the one most important thing that we're going to do" and said experts handle the logistical and investigative burden of vetting candidates.
The board’s approved timetable had proposed public Q&A sessions for finalists on May 26 and a vote on May 19 to narrow the pool; with the new direction trustees said they will return with proposals from professional search firms and a revised schedule at the next meeting.
What the board approved: trustee Santini’s motion (mover: Santini; second: Powers) to pause or supplement the board-led search with outside professionals. Vote: 7 yes, 0 no. The board president said he will bring back three proposals from firms at the next meeting for the board to review.
Why it matters: School superintendent searches affect curriculum, staffing, budgeting and community trust. Trustees said the district must balance cost with the risk of an unvetted hire; Santini and others emphasized background checks and professional reference checks that the district’s internal process had not yet provided.
Next steps: The board asked staff to collect proposals and to present cost and scope options for professional search assistance at the next public meeting.
