NPS Superintendent Search meeting: 2/14/11

All members of the screening committee (except Nicole Markel –traveling overseas) were present.  Meeting began at 6.10pm.  Stephanie Pick elected Chair of the committee.

The meeting was mostly led by Joe Wood – search consultant with New England Search Development Consultants.

Current status of the Search Process

·         The School Committee is responsible for appointing Superintendent.

·         The objective of the Screening Committee is to present up to 5 candidates to the School Committee.

·         The Superintendent position was posted on nesdec.org and advertized in topschools.org.

·         A brochure has been prepared to provide background on the Northampton schools system. 

·         Joe described the work of the focus groups – this work lead to the development of a desirable candidate profile and what should be the 3-5 starting priorities for the new Superintendent.

Results of the search so far

·         The collection of applications has been completed.  No further applications would be accepted unless the search is reopened.

·         14 applications are currently under review.

Next Steps

·         The Screening Committee received the candidate applications tonight in closed session.  They will need time to go over candidates and prepare questions and comparisons to the profile.

·         The Screening Committee will meet as a workshop on Feb 28 to review applications, confirm interview questions and affirm interview schedule.  

Interview Preparation

·         Screening Committee interviews will take place in March.

·         Each Screening Committee interview should be about an hour.  

·         8 questions should be prepared with 2 extras.  Candidates may be asked for a closing statement. 

·         Each candidate should be asked the same questions. 

·         Consultant probably will not attend interviews. 

·         There should be a greeter/escort to take care of the candidate before and after the interview.

·         The committee discussed how to develop good questions. 

·         A list of suggested themes was distributed. 

·         The Questions will not be made public in order to not give advantage to candidates or to give undue ability to prepare. 

·         Committee chose themes for questions.

·         The committee briefly mentioned that certain questions that should not be asked in interviews.

·         The committee noted that the process requires very strict confidentiality.

Alan McBride

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