Byron board begins search for new superintendent

Byron’s school board took the first steps towards hiring a new superintendent Monday night when they approved contracting with the Minnesota School Boards Association Executive Search for help in the search.

Board members heard presentations from several search firms before deciding to take the assistance from the MSBA.

Byron is looking for a new superintendent after Dr. Joey Page accepted an offer to become the superintendent of the Austin School District. Page will start his new duties in Austin on July 1.

Procedures for finding a new superintendent were similar from each firm that made a presentation.

Board members indicated they liked the idea of working with the staff from the MSBA because the group “knows school boards.”

The MSBA representative said that it is the school board that will “own the process” and be responsible for the procedures, interviews and final decision.

The next step will be an initial planning session between board members and Barb Dorn from the MSBA. Board members said they would like that meeting to take place next week.

At that meeting there will be discussions on the time line for hiring a new superintendent, what the district is looking for in a superintendent, how the candidates will be interviewed and how the district will solicit the opinions of district stakeholders.

MSBA search staff will do the advertising for the candidates at the direction of the board and screen those who apply before presenting an initial list of candidates to the board. The board will meet with those candidates and narrow the field down to probably two or three finalists for more extensive interviews.

A timeline will not be developed until the initial meeting but interviews of candidates and a decision could be completed before the end of the school year.

An advantage of having the MSBA help in the search, Dorn said, is MSBA staff is knowledgeable about school boards and the laws relating to school boards in regard to data privacy during the search.

The names of all those who apply, she said, are not made public. Once the finalists are announced their names do become public information.

Board members inquired of all search firm representatives as to how they saw the upcoming bond referendum affecting the search.

All representatives said that it would be important for board members to inquire of the candidates how they would deal with the results of the vote, whether positive or negative.

Byron will be conducting a school referendum vote on May 11. The two questions in the referendum will deal with the improvements to existing facilities and classrooms as well as upgrades to athletic facilities and the construction of a new auditorium.