HYA consultant Frank Henderson presents leadership profile to guide Auburn Washburn superintendent search

Frank Henderson of Hazard Young Atiyah told the school board the firm gathered feedback from 19 stakeholder groups to build a leadership profile for the district's superintendent search and will post the report on the firm's website.

"This will be posted on our HYA website tomorrow and also on your district website," Henderson said, explaining the purpose is to give candidates a snapshot of district strengths and challenges. He listed five frequently mentioned strengths including stable leadership, strong facilities, financial stability, academic excellence and community support. He also summarized five recurring challenges such as staffing and recruitment difficulties, enrollment decline, equity and communication, and student mental health.

Henderson said the engagement included separate sessions with board members, staff, students, parents, business leaders and the foundation, and that the leadership profile is intended to help candidates understand the district's priorities and context. He noted the board and the community emphasized communication, transparency and long-term commitment as top attributes they want in the next superintendent.

The board did not take action on the presentation; Henderson invited questions and said the board and the community would be able to review the full leadership profile online. The presentation is expected to inform candidate screening and interview criteria in the coming weeks.