The Nevada Joint Union High School District has agreed to hire an executive search firm for $11,500 to find a new superintendent. But according to the consultancy contract, it is planning to largely re-use the job description from three years ago.
“To use with minor editing the recruitment brochure employed in the district’s last superintendent search and electronically distribute it as a recruitment brochure announcing the position,” the agreement reads. “(The consultant) will also ask the interview questions from the district’s last superintendent search in the development of interview packets for the Board.”
The Board should use the vacancy to re-calibrate where they have been and where they are going, especially after the tectonic shifts that have occurred in the past three years: Major declines in enrollment and drastic budget cuts from the state.
This is not “business as usual” and would seem to require something more substantial that just minor editing of the existing recruitment brochure.
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Jeff:
In response to your rhetorical question, it looks like a “rehash” to me. Superintendent searches are the one time when School Boards become especially critical in communicating the direction of a District. I can’t figure out why our school board would not want to seize upon this opportunity to assess where we are as a community, and build support for a district deeply damaged by budget cuts.
I will also admit to being befuddled by the low profile our school board maintains. They never write for the The Union, or any of the blogs, as other electeds occassionally do. You would think that they would want to set a good example for civic engagement for the students at their high schools. Instead, crickets in the night…
A key question that needs to be asked of any candidate is where they stand on the potential consolidation of districts. If we want to save some funds for teaching, schools must take a hard look at whether the current model is working.
Would a candidate be willing to propose eliminating their own job?
Just wondering.
At $11,500 I’m not surprised they are re-using material. That is a pretty low rate for a recruiter when 30 to 40 percent of first year salary is common for high level searches. You get what you pay for.