The board’s engagement with Bill Adams from Hazard Young and Attea (HYA) Associates marked a step in the superintendent search process. Adams, with 36 years of educational leadership experience, highlighted the firm’s extensive background in conducting over 2,000 executive searches and stressed the importance of community involvement. He presented a comprehensive four-stage process: engagement, recruitment, selection, and transition. The engagement phase will include interviews and focus groups with diverse community stakeholders, allowing for a broad representation of voices in shaping the leadership profile.

Board members discussed the necessity of involving political community members and nonprofit organizations early in the process, given ongoing discussions about potentially returning to an elected superintendent system. The board also addressed the inclusion of students, particularly younger students, in the feedback process to ensure a long-term relationship with the future superintendent.

A crucial component of the process is a research-based survey, which will be available in English and Spanish, targeting various demographic groups, including parents, community members, and school staff. Concerns about the survey’s category limitations were discussed, with suggestions to include retired employees to capture valuable insights. The board emphasized the need for clarity and anonymity to encourage genuine feedback, assuring respondents that no IP addresses would be tracked.

In addition to the superintendent search, the board addressed the delivery of gifted education services, particularly at the elementary and secondary levels. Discussions focused on reducing travel time for students and enhancing access to educational resources. The board acknowledged challenges in identifying gifted students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and proposed additional support for academically talented students who do not meet the current gifted criteria. The conversation highlighted the importance of teacher nominations and past testing results in identifying students for enrichment services.

At the secondary level, the board emphasized the transition from a pull-out system to courses with a gifted designation, noting the competition gifted students face with programs like Cambridge and IB. Concerns were raised about the delivery model being determined by staff qualifications rather than student needs, prompting a call for a more equitable approach to educational opportunities.

In a separate discussion, the board explored the compensation package for the new superintendent, considering the district’s $1.3 billion budget and recent $64 million cuts. The proposed compensation range of $250,000 to $265,000 was deemed a minor fraction of the budget, with a focus on balancing competitive salaries with taxpayer accountability. The board discussed performance incentives, emphasizing the importance of rewarding achievements in school ratings.

The meeting also included a presentation on the “Look Up Marion” campaign, which aims to address mental health issues related to social media and screen time. The campaign, backed by community partners like the sheriff’s department, encourages families to engage in alternative activities and participate in “Put Down the Phone Day” on November 15th. The initiative seeks to foster real-life interactions and improve communication skills among youth.