A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the presentation by Dr. Karen Deino of McPherson and Jacobson, who proposed a detailed strategy for the superintendent search. Deino, with the backing of her colleague Dr. Ralph Ferry’s experience, underlined the critical nature of the partnership between the firm and the Berkeley Heights district in identifying a suitable candidate who would fit the community’s specific needs. The five-phase search process outlined by Deino included establishing superintendent characteristics, engaging various stakeholders for input, and publicizing the position. The pre-interview stage would involve the collection of video applications, promoting a transparent approach with direct board involvement in decision-making.

The firm’s national scope and successful track record in recruiting and retaining superintendents were emphasized, and the cost implications for the district were acknowledged. Questions from the board addressed the firm’s two-year service guarantee if the hired superintendent departs, the timeline for the search, the stakeholder input process, and the depth of background checks, which would encompass criminal, financial, and ethics-related aspects.

The board expressed a strong commitment to holistic student development, special education, and diversity, which would be important factors in the superintendent search. They discussed creating a leadership profile for the superintendent based on feedback from open-ended questionnaires distributed to various stakeholders, which would feed into a rubric for evaluating candidates. This rubric would assess mission and vision alignment, ethics, diversity and equity, and community engagement, among other qualities.

Concerns were voiced by a student from Columbia Middle School over the change of the school mascot from Tigers to Highlanders. Highlighting the tradition and the lack of input from students and staff, the student presented a petition with over 320 signatures advocating for the retention of the Tiger mascot. The board took note of the student’s concerns, which underscored the importance of community and student engagement in district decisions.

The urgency of commencing the superintendent search was a recurrent theme, with the timeline described as aggressive but attainable. The board was advised to act promptly due to high community interest. The importance of an ethical approach was stressed. The speaker discussed their superintendent search experience and the comprehensive approach to involving the board throughout the process.

Additionally, the board engaged in discussions about the practical aspects of the search, such as the length of superintendent contracts, the format of interviews, the impact of a New Jersey law in limbo on attracting out-of-state candidates, and the need for confidentiality. The board considered the implications of these factors on their ultimate decision and the community at large.

The meeting concluded with plans to conduct further discussions in executive sessions, with future meetings scheduled to address the superintendent search firms and the district’s budget.