The search for a new superintendent goes on in the Liverpool Central School District.
The board of education held a work session with Dr. Jessica Cohen, superintendent of BOCES and search consultant, last week to discuss the process and set dates by which certain steps should be completed.
¡§We¡¦ve sent out about 840 hard copies [of the application],¡¨ Cohen said. ¡§Next week we¡¦ll send out an electronic version.¡¨
From that pool, Cohen and the board will select the new super for Liverpool schools. Cohen has conducted 15 superintendent searches in her career and she said this is the same procedure she has always used.
At this time, Cohen has received two completed applications and 14 or 15 inquiries about the job. She expects to receive the bulk of the applications shortly before the April 10 deadline.
The process for selecting a superintendent will be as follows:
ĄThe public input phase will take place between March 25 and April 22. During that time, the school board and Cohen will be collecting information from a number of focus groups, community meetings and questionnaires to determine what qualities the district is looking for in a superintendent. Cohen will present a summary of the data to the board by May 1.
The most important part of this step is the formation of the focus groups. There will be a total of seven groups: teachers, non-instructional staff in the district, administrators, the superintendent¡¦s cabinet, students, parents and community members. Each group will consist of 12 to 25 people, who will participate by invitation only.
The community meetings will take place on April 22. This will be an opportunity for members of the community who were not part of the focus groups to give their input. Community members can also share their thoughts through a questionnaire, which will be available on the district¡¦s website (liverpool.k12.ny.us) until April 10. Paper copies will also be available at the Liverpool Public Library and the district office.
ĄApplications are due by April 10. Between that time and May 1, Cohen and her staff will screen the applications, check references and conduct initial interviews.
ĄFrom May 1 to May 15, the board will review applications and select four to six semi-finalists to interview. The board will also develop its interview questions during that time. Those interviews will be conducted between May 15 and 22, and the candidates will be culled down to two or three finalists.
ĄThe interviews with the finalists will take place between May 30 and June 15. Each finalist will be subjected to a full-day interview when they will tour district buildings, be interviewed by the focus groups and sit down for a formal interview with the board.
ĄThe board will announce their selection as superintendent by June 30.
