The board of education has taken the initial steps to find a replacement for James L. Henderson, who resigned from the position in August.
Members plan to begin candidate interviews around the first week and second week of March.
Connie Collins, a senior associate at Hazard Young Attea Associates, the consulting experts who are helping the district search for a new superintendent, said the superintendent position has already had interest expressed by potential candidates.
“The sooner we can start this the better we are before people are snatched up by other districts,” Collins said. “We really want to get started with this, so we have a really great selection of candidates.”
Her comments came during the early December board of education meeting at Proviso Math and Science Academy on Roosevelt Road, where her group presented plans for the superintendent search. The agency has worked in more than 42 states and served more than 1,600 clients, including Forest Park School District 91 – a feeder district for Proviso, – Oak Park and River Forest School District 200, and Oak Park Elementary District 97.
However, a series of decisions must be made before interviews can begin.
HYA walked the board through what the hiring process will entail, including selecting a liaison between the board and the consulting agency, as well as a district staff contact person. Board members also should be interviewed before the holidays to keep on schedule, the consultants said.
Among the critical decisions: The board will need to determine whether the search will be confidential or open.
According to Collins, senior associate at HYA, the board would see a greater number of applicants if the search were confidential, saying many applicants prefer to refrain from publicizing their names through at least the early parts of the hiring process.
Board member Rodney Alexander asked what the hiring process would look like if the board decided to go the confidentiality route. Collins said there are options, including remaining confidential until the search is narrowed to two or three candidates. Collins said HYA will provide the board with such options.
HYA also asked the board to identify community members whom they should interview individually or as part of focus groups.
Frank Henderson, associate at HYA, said the agency is determined to find the right for the Proviso community.
To do that, Henderson said they hope to have the input of as many people in the district as possible to determine what the right person looks like and what characteristics they should have.
One way is through focus groups.
“We need everybody to be a part of this process and give their feedback regarding what you are looking for in the next superintendent, we really want to emphasize that for whoever the district contact person is and the liaison, that that information gets out there,” Collins said.
Board president Amanda Grant said that forming focus groups sooner rather than later was in the best interest of the district, adding she hoped they could begin with focus groups following the district’s return from winter break. The district and HYA agreed to aim for the middle to the end of January.
Along with focus groups, HYA will be conducting online surveys that will be available when the focus groups begin. The surveys are expected to last between 10 to 15 minutes, and can have three customized questions about D209.
The surveys will be available in both English and Spanish, with a possibility of also having expanded to other languages as well. Grant said it would be helpful to include the top three or four languages.
“If we can cast as wide of a net as possible, especially when it is something so accessible as an online survey,” said Grant.
As for candidates, Henderson said the agency would ensure all applicants provide a full resume, references, and a cover letter addressing why they want to come to Proviso.
“We feel that is very critical,” Henderson said. “Hopefully they have done their homework and know why Proviso is a great place to work and a great place to be a leader.”
HYA will be waiting for the board to determine the exact language they want to use to publicize the position opening on the HYA website. The position opening will also be published on the district’s website, and the job opening would be promoted online, which HYA said should cost the district about $2,000.
The board still needs to decide a range for total compensation, including salary, vehicle allowance, health insurance, housing allowance, and others.
“That is not something you have to decide tonight of course,” Henderson said. “But as a board, come together and think about what would be an appropriate range so that it will help us and guide us when we begin to talk to potential candidates.”