By Richard Nelson
editor@jacksonvilleprogress.com
The Jacksonville ISD board members studied superintendent résumés Tuesday afternoon in closed session of a special meeting at the district’s Administration Building.
After choosing six candidates to interview, the board members discussed and decided on a bevy of questions the candidates will field, based on the individual candidate’s experience.
Not every candidate will be asked the same questions, according to Butch Felkner, a consultant with TASB Executive Search Services, the firm hired to help the district with its search.
“We went around the room (during executive session) and (the board members) decided what specific questions to ask that particular candidate,” Felkner said. “Those questions were based on the qualities and characteristics the board approved in November.”
After meetings with community members, district employees and board members in October, the search firm put together a profile of the qualities the new superintendent should possess. In November, the firm reported its findings to the board. According to the report, the new superintendent must:
• be a capable, strategic planner who can help the board articulate and achieve a vision for the future;
• be “involved and visible” in the community;
• live in Jacksonville;
• have experience presiding over facilities projects and bond elections;
• have a successful track record as a superintendent or assistant superintendent; and
• be considerate of many viewpoints and take a delegator approach to leadership.
The six applicants will answer their personalized questions during hour-and-a-half long interviews Jan. 6-8, 2009.
Board members will narrow their choices down to three Jan. 20, 2009, and during the meeting that day will make final decisions about how the second round of interviews will be conducted. Those interviews will take place Jan. 27-29, 2009.
Select board members will conduct a site visit to their top choice’s current district on Feb. 5, 2009, and will name the lone finalist Feb. 9, 2009.
The board members are scheduled to make the vote to hire the next superintendent March 3, 2009.
