Goodrich – Though the school board voted to extend Superintendent Kimberly Hart’s contract for one year, she is exploring other options.
Hart was announced as one of two final candidates up for the job of superintendent of Kenowa Hills Public Schools in Grand Rapids. Tom Martin, superintendent of Hopkins Public Schools in Hopkins, Mich., was also a finalist.
Enrollment for Kenowa Hills for the 2006-2007 school year is about 3,490 students. Goodrich currently has about 2,170 students.
Additionally, Hart is one of eight applicants vying for the superintendent position in Oxford Schools, invited for interviews this week by the Oxford Board of Education.
‘We have some great candidates,? said Oxford School Board President Colleen Schultz, at a special meeting Tuesday night to screen applications.
‘I think there was only one out of the 25 (applicants) that I threw out right away the first time through,? noted Treasurer Doug Myer. ‘The number of superintendents that applied was huge.?
A total of 26 candidates originally applied for the job, however, one person took a position in another school district prior to the meeting.
With the aid of Carl Hartman, Director of Field Services for the Michigan Association of School Boards, the organization hired by the district to conduct its superintendent search, the board of education narrowed the pool from 25 candidates to eight.
‘The reason that we narrowed it down to the candidates that we did is because they all have central office experience,? explained Oxford School Board Trustee Sue Tombrella. ‘The candidates we decided not to interview, some of them did not have central office experience, some of them did (but) they obviously didn’t fit the bill for other reasons. The ones that we did select, every one of them have central office experience.?
The eight applicants who were selected will be interviewed during three special school board meetings scheduled for next week. All of them will be open to the public.
Three candidates will be interviewed from 6-9 p.m. on Monday, May 7 and Wednesday, May 9. Each interview will last approximately 60 minutes.
‘It may take a little bit longer, but we’ll try to keep them to an hour,? Hartman said.
Two candidates will be interviewed on Thursday, May 10 from 6-8 p.m. That same night the board may choose who they wish to invite back for a second interview.
Gene Young of the Michigan Association of School Boards said the search was narrowed from 23 candidates down to six before selecting the final two candidates for the position at Kenowa Hills.
Young said it was Hart’s strong interviews that set her apart from the pack.
‘She’s had two very impressive interviews,? Young said last Monday. ‘Her second interview, she interviewed with students, union members, administrators and central office staff (in addition to a school) board interview.?
In their quest to find the right fit for superintendent in their district, Young said community feedback was sought. Teachers, administrators, parents and students were invited to give feedback about the qualities they required from someone in the position. Among the desired attributes of the future superintendent, said Young, were the following: strong communication skills and an extraverted personality; visibility in the community, schools and at activities; strong problem solving and listening skills; an understanding of local demographics; able to work with employee groups to find solutions; knowledge and understanding of the curriculum; classroom teaching experience, and an ability to work with legislators.
Young said two additional ‘must haves? for the new superintendent are trust and integrity.
Teams from their district were touring schools headed by both finalists to speak with teachers and other employees about each candidate on April 30, said Young. The results of the tour were then to be discussed at a board meeting, which would highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate.
A final decision on the matter is expected May 7, said Young, with the selected candidate starting their new position on July 1.
Hart’s job performance has been under increasing scrutiny lately with mounting tensions between administration and the Michigan Education Association union as teachers and support staff remain the MEA critical list and operate without a contract.
Difficulties were heightened with the short notice given for a March 19 meeting, scheduled for the purpose of conducting Hart’s performance evaluation in closed session. Several in attendance at the meeting expressed frustration about the meeting being posted on the Sunday before it was to take place, while others said they felt the board deliberately delayed communication about the meeting.
Hart’s new contract is for only one year and not self-renewing, as opposed to the two year contract that was automatically renewed unless there was board intervention Hart had previously been granted.
Oxford Leader editor CJ Carnacchio contributed to this report.