Community survey will be available online later this week for staff and the public input
BY KARISSA MILLER
Iredell-Statesville Board of Education members discussed and approved various documents, and made minor adjustments related to the superintendent’s search on Monday.
Superintendent Brady Johnson’s contract expires June 30, 2020, and he has announced he will not be returning.
The following items outlined below were approved at the board’s Dec. 9 meeting.
Superintendent Input Survey
As part of its search, the board wants to hear the thoughts of staff and community members on the qualities and experience they are looking for in a superintendent.
The board voted to approve the questions for the Superintendent input survey.
The survey will be available on Survey Monkey later this week. A link will be distributed so that staff and the public can provide input. The window for completing the survey will end the week of January 24, 2020.
Board members Ken Poindexter and Todd Carver spoke about producing the survey.
It was designed so the average person can complete it in five to 10 minutes, Poindexter explained.
They looked at surveys used by other school districts to determine what questions to ask. “We went and looked at surveys all around the country, from West, to Midwest to all corners,” Poindexter said.
They also allowed stakeholders to contribute questions for consideration, Carver said.
Advertising
Although the school board is not contracting with the N.C. School Board Association to assist in its superintendent search, NCSBA will share the board’s advertisement for the position.
NCSBA has state and national contacts as well as access to posting in trade publications.
The board voted to approve spending $2,000 for advertising the superintendent opening on various venues that were recommended by the NCSBA.
Superintendent local supplement
Samuel Kennington, who chairs the I-SS search committee, recommended that the advertisement should state that the local pay supplement for the superintendent’s pay.
The board voted to approve making the superintendent’s salary negotiable; salary will be “commensurate with experience and a history of demonstrated leadership.”
Minor adjustments to the hiring timeline
The board also voted to approve adjustments to the search timeline to provide some flexibility in getting documents finalized and posted.
The adjustment changes the wording of the superintendent’s application window to begin the week of December 10 rather than on December 10, 2019.
Additionally, the staff/community survey would begin the week of December 10 and end the week of January 24, 2020.
Changes to application
The board voted and approved two additional items underneath “Additional Information” in question No. 3 of the Superintendent’s Application.
(3). Briefly describe your experience or opinion concerning the following:
• The role of choice programs in a traditional public-school system
• Detail experiences in preparing, implementing and overseeing a school district and/or company budget.
FAQ
Lastly, the board voted to approve Frequently Asked Questions for posting to the district’s website to help the public better understand the process.
Need to Know
Kennington said the names of the candidates and contract negotiations will be discussed in closed session, which is pursuant to the rules governing the superintendent’s search; however, the board has to approve the contract in an open session.
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