Wise New superintendent

[imported_Counts]

I don't know that Wise Co is doing the right or wrong thing but they just blew another $10,000 on the search for the new superintendent.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...8544&rfi=6

WISE - The county school board reluctantly agreed Tuesday night to spend more than $10,000 to hire a national firm to lead the search for a new superintendent.
Two other suggestions on who should conduct the search were voted down in a debate over whether a firm should be hired at all.

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Ultimately, the board voted 6-2 to hire Kenneth Underwood of Harold Webb Associates, Ltd., for $10,200 plus expenses. The firm is based in Austin, Texas, but Underwood is located in Northern Virginia and will do much of the legwork.





District Four board member Kyle Fletcher and District One board member Mark Hutchinson voted against the measure. Fletcher and Hutchinson each wanted board members to conduct the search themselves.





Four executive search groups were either contacted by the school board or sent in unsolicited offers, chairman Margaret Craft said.





"Hiring through a company would in no way prevent the hiring of Wise County applicants," Craft said. Rather, hiring a firm would protect the board by ensuring the eligibility of those interviewed, and would help get the word out in the educational community, she said.





"We don't have to use a company," Craft continued, noting that the board hired the former superintendent, Michael Basham, on its own. "It was a very difficult, time-consuming task for the person who was directed to do it, and I don't know the expense," she continued, estimating that searching for a superintendent without help would probably cost about as much as hiring a firm.





The Virginia School Board Association's superintendent search service sent an unsolicited offer to the board. Two other firms, McPherson and Jacobson, LLC, and S. John Davis Associates, also made offers. Craft said in a telephone interview Wednesday that all of the groups offered similar services, and each had a base fee, before traveling expenses, of about $10,000.





Board member Wendell Caldwell immediately made a motion that the VSBA superintendent search group perform the search, adding that the board should "go with our own organization." Milas Franks gave a second to the motion.





Ann Gregory interjected, requesting a brief closed session to discuss the motion. Gregory said she had a very specific comment to make about one person involved.





After a 10-minute closed session, the board returned.





Before the motion was put to a vote, Caldwell noted that the firm hired will not be conducting interviews or doing the actual hiring.





"They do the searching and background and eligibility checks," Caldwell said. "They do not make a recommendation, they just present candidates."





Craft added that any firm hired to conduct the search would first talk to the school board about what qualities they would like in a new superintendent.





The board voted down the motion 6-2. Franks and Caldwell were the only two who voted in favor of hiring the VSBA group. After a brief silence, Craft asked if any other board member would like to recommend a firm.





"I'd like to make a motion that the Wise County School Board hire the next superintendent, and do all the work to get it done," Hutchinson said.





Gregory told him, "That means the school board, not the staff, does the work."





Caldwell agreed.





"If the board's going to do it, who on this board has the time to do that, and is willing to do all that needs to be done?" Caldwell asked. He reminded Hutchinson that the board would have to conduct background checks, place advertisements and perform the other necessary tasks in accordance with state laws.





"I don't think the board could do that," Caldwell said. "You're talking about a lot of time. We're not talking about just advertising in The Coalfield and The Post, either."





Cecilia Robinette added that during the last superintendent search, a single advertisement in an educational publication cost nearly $700.





Gregory continued that the school board may not have the connections or the expertise conducting a good search would take.





Hutchinson argued, "Connections are what got us in trouble before."





No, said Gregory, "Running our own search is what got us in trouble before."





The school board voted down the motion, 6-2, to search for a superintendent themselves. Fletcher and Hutchinson were the only votes in favor.





Gregory then moved to hire the Webb group, noting that Underwood has experience in Southwest Virginia, having found a superintendent for Bristol City schools.





Fletcher suggested board members might seek outside opinions if Underwood was hired.





"It might be a possibility that one of us might try to find someone closer to our part of the country to make a suggestion to us," Fletcher said. "I don't think I'd leave my options just to this one guy looking."





Franks said individual searches by board members would not be appropriate.





"Then, I'm not appropriate," Fletcher said. He also expressed worries that the board was rushing into choosing a firm to hire a superintendent and might be making a mistake.





The board is charged with finding a superintendent within 180 days, Gregory reminded him.





Gregory's motion to hire Harold Webb Associates passed 6-2, with all board members in favor except Fletcher and Hutchinson.





"The motion carries," said Craft. "I will remind you that even if you don't like the way it went, you are supposed to support the majority."





The board then unanimously passed a motion authorizing Craft to contact Underwood as soon as possible to get started on the search.

[burton2019]

another great decision by the wise county school board

Most of what was needed to be handled in the look for a superintendent, could of been conducted by the administrative staff at the central office.
Advertisement, background checks, qualifications etc. etc.
Passed on to the SB then those most qualified, called for an interview.
Yet we will pay out $10,000 more dollars. Then this board wonders why there is such questioning of things they do.
But also leaving it up to this board or a few on it. It may be worth the 10,000 dollars, not to have another mistake, like the last mistake.

[imported_Counts]

That is sort of what I was thinking 10,000 seems preatty high but then again if an outside firm does most of the leg work the board can't be blamem for hireing the first Tom, Dick or Harry that comes alone