Tough job selecting new supe

Questions have been raised regarding the fact that no staff or community members are to be directly involved in the screening and interview process to select the new Petaluma School District Superintendent.|

Questions have been raised regarding the fact that no staff or community members are to be directly involved in the screening and interview process to select the new Petaluma School District Superintendent. It is natural that the question would arise since the district has a long history of collaboration and seeking the active involvement of parents, teachers and classified staff in personnel decisions. I must admit to also being somewhat puzzled and wanting to respectfully ask for an explanation. Because I was recently asked to help screen candidates for the position, and subsequently to meet with the Board of Education in closed session to formulate interview questions, I had an opportunity to respectfully ask and receive an explanation.

It turns out that, in the matter of selecting a new superintendent, school districts have limited options. At present, the majority of sitting superintendents will not even submit an application unless first being assured that the screening and interview process will be handled in house. This is a new development since I was the Petaluma School District Superintendent. It is the unfortunate result of confidentiality being compromised in a number of school districts as they engaged in the process of selecting a new educational leader. In cases where word leaks back to a school district that their superintendent is looking for a new position, he or she assumes quasi lame-duck status back home. It is easy to understand why current superintendents insist on a process which most fully assures complete confidentiality.

Thus, school districts today have a tough choice. If a Board of Education elects to directly involve staff and members of the community in the screening and interview of potential superintendents, the result will be that many of the most experienced and qualified candidates simply will not apply. Our Board of Education made a conscious decision to seek the richest possible pool of applicants by maximizing confidentiality for all concerned.

I have subsequently learned that the Novato Unified School District Board of Education has made the same decision, as has the Tamalpais Union High School District Board of Education in their upcoming superintendent search. In reaching out to former colleagues in the profession, this now appears to be the rule rather than the exception. It is somewhat sad, but true.

However, the lack of direct involvement in the screening and interview process does not mean that staff and community input has not been a vital part of the selection process.

For example, the criteria we used for screening is the outgrowth of priorities expressed to Board of Education members at the community forum, as well as other venues. Further, I heard Board of Education members discussing the latest round of input they had received before we began the process of formulating the questions which will be put to candidates selected for interview.

The criteria which will be used to score applicants who make it to the interview process is heavily based upon what Board of Education members have heard from staff and from the community throughout the entire process. I am happy to report that the process has been successful in attracting a significant number of well-qualified educators.

Thanks to those who raised questions concerning the openness of the selection process. I hope that this will be helpful. Most of all, I hope that the person selected as our new superintendent will be a strong and caring educational leader in the district for many years.

In closing, I want to salute current Superintendent of Schools, Steve Bolman. Through all of those difficult financial times when I was with the district, it was Steve whose fiscal brilliance kept us solvent. In addition, Steve Bolman is the chief architect of our remarkable building and capitol improvement program from the 1991-92 school year to the present.

(Chuck Cadman is a retired Superintendent of the Petaluma Elementary and High School Districts.)

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.