David Brauer asked:
<<Do you feel that, at least, there needs to be some public vetting, regardless of whether it's a nationwide search or the board acting independently?>>
An excerpt from a press release following today's school board discussion meeting, pasted below, should answer the question.
Also, along the way there was a suggestion that the Oct. 14 school board meeting was not taped nor broadcast. The meeting was, as usual, taped and broadcast. Also, as usual, a post-meeting opportunity to address the board on non-agenda issues was not taped nor broadcast.
Dennis Schapiro
Minneapolis Board of Education
Linden Hills/Hawthorne
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MPS Board of Education Outlines Community Engagement Process for Superintendent Selection
October 21, 2003--At a Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education discussion meeting today, board members outlined a “4-3-2-1 Process” to engage members throughout the Minneapolis community in the process of selecting its next school superintendent.
The board indicated that the community engagement process would begin in November and would: consist of 4 community forums; use 3 communication vehicles; take 2 months to complete; and conclude by Jan. 1, 2004. At that time, the board said it would consider selecting an executive search firm to conduct the search for a new superintendent. The firm would be a proven-executive search firm that has extensive experience in conducting national searches for large, urban school superintendents and would receive all community comment for review and recruit qualified applicants.
“This will be an important opportunity for us to hear from members of the community and to share information about the challenges of running a large urban school district,” said Board Director Colleen Moriarty, who along with Board Director Judy Farmer will lead the community engagement process. The board agreed that they would like to have a new superintendent in place by the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year.
The process will seek meaningful input on the following two key questions:
• What qualities should the Board look for in a new Superintendent?
• What criteria should the Board use in selecting the next Superintendent?
...
Three of the forums, co-hosted by The Minneapolis Foundation, will be held out in the community and be open to the entire public for feedback. One forum will be for business and community leaders.
