School board hears feedback on superintendent search

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The next Charles City Superintendent of Schools should be an individual who develops and retains staff and builds better school and community relations. He or she should also be approachable, accessible and welcoming.

This is according to Trent Grundmeyer and Roger Wilcox from Grundmeyer Leader Services, who presented the Charles City School District Board of Directors the results of a stakeholder survey report at a special meeting on Thursday.

Grundmeyer Leader Services, based in Ankeny, is a search firm that was hired by the district to help in the Charles City Superintendent search.

After the presentation, the board went into closed session to review the pool of candidates applying for the position of Superintendent of Schools. The school district took applications for the position though Wednesday of this week.

The survey was conducted to obtain feedback on the desired qualifications of a new superintendent and to be used to guide the hiring process to ensure the next superintendent is a good fit for the district and community.

The survey was open to everyone in the community and linked on the district website. It resulted in 331 total responses from parents, teachers, community members, support staff, students, and others.

About 39% of the respondents to the survey were parents, 21% were teachers, 20% identified themselves as community members, 15% were students and 12% were support staff.

The new superintendent will replace Mike Fisher, who is resigning after four years in Charles City in order to take the position of superintendent in his home town of Oskaloosa. His employment in Charles City will officially end at the end of the school fiscal year on June 30.

The board intends to interview semifinalists on April 12 and conduct formal interviews with finalists on April 19. The board is looking at a salary range between $160,000 to $180,000 per year for the superintendent, depending on experience.

The survey had respondents list what they thought were the district’s strengths and challenges as well as the most important professional skills and qualifications for a superintendent.

Respondents said the school district’s top strengths were inclusion, a skilled and caring faculty/staff, a supportive administration, a focus on student achievement and opportunities for students.

“We have developed a strong vision for areas of needed improvement and have seen some of those goals fall into place,” one respondent stated. “I like that our current superintendent is very visible at all campuses. … I feel like my kids have good relationships with their teachers and that they truly care and inspire the kids to do their best.”

Among the top challenges listed that the district is facing are staff retention, behavioral issues among students, student social and emotional health, communication, the need to raise student achievement and the need to update facilities.

“While the mission, vision, and core values have been showcased and communicated frequently, there is a strong disconnect between daily actions and actually living them out,” stated one respondent. “Provide authentic data to all stakeholders versus data that has been skewed or collected in a way that provides no authenticity.”

Another respondent addressed the deteriorating facilities and the community’s current distaste for a new bond issue to pay for them.

‘We need a new high school and auditorium but passing a bond currently is almost impossible,” the respondent stated. “How are we going to meet our needs without a bond referendum?”

The top personal skills and qualifications a superintendent needs, as listed in the survey, include recruiting, hiring, supporting, developing and retaining effective staff; building school and community relations, promoting a community of care and support for students; effectively managing district resources and meaningfully engaging with families and community members.

The top personal traits and qualities for a new superintendent include someone who is approachable, accessible and welcoming; follows through on tasks and responsibilities and demonstrates ethics and integrity.

“I would advise the new superintendent to take the time to really get to know the community, the students, and the staff here in Charles City to understand the dynamics and history of what has gone on here before he makes any drastic changes,” one respondent stated. “I really hope that the new superintendent picks up where Mr. Fischer left off and keeps moving us in the right direction.”