I. Agree on What
You are Looking For
A. Qualifications
1. Licensed
in New Mexico
2.
Eligible for licensure in New Mexico
3. Degrees
a. Masters
b. Doctorate
c. Preference but not mandatory
d. Doesn’t matter
4. Experience
a. As a superintendent
b. Central Office
c. Principal - (Secondary - Elementary)
d. Size of school - (Large - small - of similar size to
yours - doesn’t matter)
e. New Mexico experience only
f. Experience preferred but not mandatory
g. Strong business background
h. Knowledge of New Mexico finances
i. Strong curriculum - program background
j. Strong personnel background
II. Agree on
the Role of the Superintendent
A. Responsibilities
1. Leadership
2. Staffing
3. Business, finance,
budget
4. Curriculum
development
5.
School-community relationship
6. School plant and
facilities
a. Planning
b. Maintenance
c. Construction
III. Recruiting
A. Determine the Extent of the
Search
1. New
Mexico only
2. Regional (New Mexico plus neighboring states)
3.
Nationwide
B. Prepare Brochure
1. Suggested
Items to be Included
a. Description of the vacant position
b. Statement of the selection procedure
c. Information required of candidates
d. Deadline for receiving applications
e. Statement of desired and required qualifications
f. Brief description of the community
g. Description of the school district
h. Beginning date of employment
i
. Where and to whom to send applications
j. Salary and benefits information
C.
Distribute the Brochure (advertise the vacancy)
1. Suggested
mailing list
a. Central office of all school districts in New Mexico
b. New Mexico School Boards Association
c. New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators
d. Placement office of colleges and universities in area decided on
in III-A above
e. National School Boards Association
f. National Association of School Administrators
(NMSBA will assist with addresses on any of the above)
IV. Involvement
of Others
(See preliminary remarks on
page 1 and V. A. 3. below)
V. Screening
of Applications
A. Agree on
composition of screening committee
1. Committee
of board members only
2. Board as a whole
3. Broad committee
a. School employees only
b. School employees and board members
c. School employees, board members and community members
B. Preliminary Screening of
Applications
1. Agree on reasonable number of semi-finalists
2. Eliminate those
who do not meet minimum qualifications
3. Eliminate those
who did not submit satisfactory applications
4. Eliminate those
you know and agree you do not wish to consider
(don’t let one person eliminate someone that the rest may want to
consider)
5. Careful
review of remaining applications to eliminate down to the
agreed number of semi-finalists
C.
Further investigation and screening of semi-finalists
1. Develop
list of questions to be asked
2. Assign each board
member or committee member
one or more candidates
3. Conduct personal or telephone visits
a. Listed references
b. Former and current employers
c. Former and current employees
d. Former and current board members
e. Community leaders
Church
Bank
Business
Chamber of Commerce
Civic Organizations
Elected officials
D. Further screening
and selection of finalists
1. Agree on
reasonable number of finalists
2. Each board member
or committee member report on
information derived from investigation of semi-finalists
3. Eliminate those
that you do not wish to interview
4. Select finalists
VI. Plan for
interview of the finalists
A. Develop questions to
be asked of each candidate
1. In
developing questions consider the following
a. What is important to this board, school, community
b. What are the board’s goals and expectations
c. What problems will the new superintendent face
d. What are the strengths of the district
e. What are the weaknesses of the district
B. Agree on what to look for during the
interview
1.
Personality traits
2.
The candidates philosophy
a. Is it geared to this size school district?
b. Is it geared to the ethnic make-up of the school community
c. Is it school and student oriented or is it self-oriented?
d. Is it suitable for good relations with this board?
3. Overall knowledge
of school operation
4. Communication skills
5. Honesty
6. Openness
7. Stability
8. Commitment
a. To education
b. To this school district
c. Does he/she really want to come to this school district?
C. Prepare an interview schedule
1. All in one
day
2. One or two per
day and/or evening
3.
Have reception - meet the public
4. 1 to 2 hour
intervals
5. Allow
time for informal questions from the board
6. Allow time for the
candidate to ask questions
D. Appoint
someone to contact finalists and inform them of interview time and
place
VII. Conduct
the interviews and select superintendent
A.
Attempt to make the candidate comfortable so you will see his/her best
B. Be sure each member asks some questions
C. Okay to take notes during interview
D. Meet immediately after interviews are
completed
1.
Poll board to see if unanimous consensus can be reached on one candidate
2. Discuss results of
interview and differences of opinions among board
members
on
important issues
3.
Attempt to reach a unanimous consensus
4. If cannot reach a
consensus
a. Call 2 or 3 top candidates back for further interview
b. One or more board member visit the candidates present school or
community
c. Review list of qualifications that was developed in the beginning
of the process
d. Review the role you want the superintendent to play
e. Attempt to compromise
5. Select the
candidate who best fits the needs of the school
6. Select a second
choice in case first choice turns you down
E. Notify candidate of his/her selection
1. Agree on
length of time allowed for a response
2. Appoint someone to
call selected candidate
3. Notify unsuccessful candidate
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