Richmond may pay more to next superintendent

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Richmond may pay more to next superintendent

Thu, 03/19/2020 - 18:01
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■ SHORT TIME TO SEARCH ■ TEACHER INPUT LIMITED ■ PUBLIC INPUT LIMITED

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RICHMOND – Later than what is ideal and at a likely higher salary going to whoever gets the job, the process is in progress to find a new Richmond School District superintendent of schools.

The school board seeks a new superintendent after firing Superintendent Mike Aytes last week. He disputes reasons given to him for being fired – that he released information from a closed-door meeting he says he did not attend and that he did not do an investigation he says he did not know the board required him to do.

Aytes said the board did not abide by the terms of his contract, and reasons given for his termination fall short of being reasonable. He threatens legal action.

In the past four months, the board has fired Aytes and Richmond High School Principal John Parker. The board also accepted resignations from Assistant Superintendent Brock Dover and Richmond High School Principal Brad Bergemann. Dover accepted a West Platte School District principalship.

EDCOUNSEL

The board hired Dr. Jim Hinson of EdCounsel, Independence, to handle the replacement process for Aytes.

“It’s a $5,000 flat fee,” he said.

The salary the district paid Aytes may have to increase for a new superintendent, based on what other districts pay superintendents.

“You’re at the very low end,” Hinson said.

Superintendents who consider leaving their districts are not likely to come EDCOUNSEL’S Jim Hinson goes over to Richmond for the same pay the make already.

“They’re not going to make a lateral move,” Hinson said.

How much more Richmond School District might have to pay a new superintendent remains a question, with the board agreeing to tell applicants the expected salary is “negotiable.” When final applicants are chosen, then salary will become determined.

“Depending on the person, we may have to have a conversation,” Hinson said.

Applicants also will want more than a one-year contract, he said.

Superintendents are in demand, Hinson said.

“School districts are having a very difficult time finding superintendents,” he said.

When fired, Aytes had more than a year remaining on his contract.

As the end of the school year approaches, school boards become more reluctant to let their superintendents out the superintendent search process. of contracts, Hinson said. Boards are reluctant because the time left to replace superintendents before another school year begins July 1 is short. Also, the applicant pool narrows, with several weeks needed to conduct a search.

Board member Jason Morrill asked where the district is in terms of starting a superintendent search.

“You’re about at the end of the process,” Hinson said.

Morrill asked how long picking a superintendent would take.

“That is really not a long process,” Hinson said, and suggested the work could take as little as four weeks.

THE PROCESS

Hinson described the four-step selection process, starting with assessing attributes the board seeks in a leader. He said the board alone could pick the attributes or invite input from within the school district and from the community.

“Maybe just open it up to the public,” board member Chad Burnine said.

“It’s whatever you want to do in that regard,” Hinson said, and stated seeking input from outside the board is a good idea. “It’s a best practice.”

Board member Monica Shane suggested inviting the Parent Teacher Organization to offer thoughts.

“We want to make sure that what we want, and what the community wants, is the same thing,” she said.

Board member Kim Nettles suggested seeking applicants with “central office” experience.

During the 2010 search for a superintendent, the board members who served at that time went beyond asking for preferred attributes to having teachers and community members involved in reviewing resumes.

“The first process will occur … here at Central Office, with two administrators, two teachers, two community members and one board member reviewing the applications,” then-Assistant Superintendent Julie Stevenson told The Richmond News at that time.

The present board did not entertain that level of community involvement in seeking a replacement for Aytes.

Part two in the current search process involves the mechanics of seeking recruits.

“You don’t have to do anything with that whatsoever,” Hinson said.

He told the board he would get out the word that there is an opening and solicit applications.

In the third part of the process, with applications in hand, Hinson said he would work with the board to reduce the field to the few people who would be called for interviews.

Hinson said his winnowing process includes background checks using social media.

Burnine, who is also Richmond’s police chief, said background checks should go further.

“We do a lot of reference checks,” Hinson said, and they go beyond using social media. “We’re going to run all those traps.”

The board will be asked to look over all applications.

“I will bring you all the candidates that apply,” Hinson said. “You will interview however many you want to.”

The board will make the decision about who to choose as finalists.

Part four is an “after step,” with Hinson working to help the new superintendent through the early months of doing the new job.

“It’s a written transition plan,” he said. “We don’t want to leave anything to chance.”

THE TIMELINE

The following are deadlines set up by Hinson and the board:

• Hinson started seeking applications March 12;

• The application deadline is March 27;

• The board plans to work with Hinson to review applications March 31;

• During the week of March 31, interviews with candidates will take place;

• The board expects to name the new superintendent at the first board meeting in April; and

• The new superintendent starts July 1.