By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
The search is on for Waterford Graded’s next superintendent. Plans call for the new leader of the four-school, K-8 school district to be named by early May.
Current Superintendent Chris Joch in late January indicated he was resigning. He will continue to work for the district through June 30 — the end of the district’s 2014-15 fiscal year.
In the aftermath of Joch’s resignation, the School Board is working with consultant Mary DeYoung of the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. DeYoung, who has expertise in the superintendent recruitment process, has a contract with the district that caps at $8,500.
DeYoung met with the board and high-level district staffers Feb. 18 to hash over a series of details, including the timeline for the search process. While it is subject to change, WGSD officials are hoping to have the next superintendent named by early May.
Within the next two months, leading up to the announcement of the next superintendent, WGSD board members and DeYoung will embark on an intensive recruitment process that began March 2 with a community focus group meeting.
With DeYoung’s assistance, the district formally posted the superintendent position in late February and set a March 20 deadline for applicants to send all of their materials, including proof of proper licensure and answers to a series of in-depth essay questions.
Moving forward, about 20 people, representing a cross-section of elected officials and district staffers, will be involved in some of the more specific activities surrounding the search.
Participants include Assistant Superintendent Kathy Hoppe and Technology Administrator Kannan Heath.
During the Feb. 18 discussion, DeYoung urged the board to move swiftly on the superintendent search. For a variety of reasons — including professionals moving out of state and others leaving the education arena all together — DeYoung said there are a larger number of superintendent vacancies this year than normal across the state.
When asked by DeYoung, several board members and district staffers said they did not believe there would be internal candidates throwing their hats in the ring for the simple fact no one holds the state’s licensure requirements to serve as superintendent.
Realizing there are competing districts out there in search of the best and brightest crop of leaders, WGSD board members said they believed it was best to strike while the proverbial iron was hot.
Board member Dan Jensen said the interview process is two-way. “We can choose the best candidate, but he or she might not choose us,” Jensen commented.
While she agreed it is important to move forward expeditiously in recruiting, board member Dawn Bleimehl expressed optimism in the recruitment that is underway.
“I think we’re a marketable district,” Bleimehl added. “I am confident there would be a high degree of interest.”
Timeline
The school board’s timeline, subject to change, on the new superintendent search is as follows:
March 20: Application deadline
March 30: School Board, consultant to begin contacting applicants
April 15-16: First round of interviews for finalists
April 21: Community forums (opportunity to meet and greet applicants)
April 22: Final round of interviews
April 24-27: Possible site visits to candidates’ current places of employment
April 30: Final candidate selection; contract to be negotiated
May 4: New superintendent to be formally announced to the public
June 30: Chris Joch’s final date as superintendent
July 1: New WGSD superintendent to assume duties
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