St. Cloud Area School District 742 will hold two community input sessions Tuesday, Dec. 18 to help select a new superintendent. The first at 10 a.m. at Whitney Senior Center; the second at 7 p.m. at the Apollo High School Resource Center.
Community members are asked to help determine challenges, strengths and goals for the district as well as what characteristics and skills they would like to see in the next superintendent. Current Superintendent Bruce Watkins has served his resignation and will step down June 30, 2013.
The input sessions are open to all staff and community members. The District 742 Board of Education has contracted with School Exec Connect, a superintendent search firm to assist with the search. A select group of consultants along with the search firm will meet with board members, school staff, parents, students and community members individually and in focus groups in the next couple of weeks. Community members will also have the opportunity to give confidential written feedback to the consultants via the school’s website. Using this information, a profile of the desired skills and characteristics in the next superintendent will be developed. Paper surveys are also available at any District 742 school.
The position will be advertised and candidates will be recruited nationally now through Feb. 12. On Feb. 19, the Foard and consultants will meet to review and select candidates to be initially interviewed. The Board will interview five or six recommended candidates on Feb. 20 and 21. On Feb. 21, the Board will narrow the field to two or three finalists. The next round of individual interviews will occur Feb. 25, 26 and 27 (if needed). Each candidate will be invited for an all-day interview process including open forums that will be available to staff, students and community members, and a final formal Board interview. The Board is asking staff, students and community to provide input into the selection. You will be able to do this by participating in an open question-and-answer session with each candidate and then filling in a feedback sheet to be shared with the Board which plans to act on the new superintendent’s contract in March.
Confidential feedback may be given through the St. Cloud Area School District 742 website at www.isd742.org. Select “Superintendent Search” at the bottom of the webpage to complete the online form. All replies will be confidential. Please submit feedback by Jan. 4.
Please feel free to contact Toni Johns (612-309-1511), Ken Dragseth (952-210-2790), Bob Ostlund (612-308-8997), or Charlie Kyte (651-247-6505) if you have any questions regarding the search.
