Applications for the position will be open through October 11 and Board expects to make a selection on November 5. The Board also awarded a contract for the construction of elementary school 19.
Stafford County wants its next school superintendent to be “experienced, visionary, and community centered.”
The successful candidate should also be “passionate about fostering a nurturing and inclusive educational environment.”
The School Board on Tuesday approved leadership profile that will be included in the application for the next division leader.
JG Consulting is leading the search for a replacement for former superintendent Thomas Taylor, who resigned this year to become superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools.
The search firm prepared the leadership profile using information gathered from 15 stakeholder meetings held between July and early September.
In addition to meeting with school division staff and families, representatives from JG Consulting gathered input from Stafford business and religious groups and held town halls for the broader community.
The firm also incorporated 484 responses to a survey that was available in multiple languages from July 10 through August 30.
Respondents rated “being a community advocate” as the most important quality the next superintendent should possess, followed by being “approachable and visible.”
The application states at the top of a list of 11 required characteristics and qualifications that candidates should be “committed to serving Stafford for the long term, with a clear intention to provide stable leadership and continuity.”
The division’s previous two leaders, Taylor and Scott Kizner, both served for two years.
“Commitment and stability” were desired characteristics emphasized by school division staff and by the community, according to JG Consulting’s report.
The School Board’s top desired quality was “financial expertise and governance,” according to the report. This comes in second in the list of required qualifications.
Other required characteristics, in the order they are listed, include “experience in large and complex school districts,” “political astuteness and governance skills,” “focus on academic excellence and student outcomes,” “equity and fairness,” and “advocacy teachers and staff.”
The application will be open through October 11. The School Board will meet on October 18 to review a pool of candidates selected by JG Consulting.
The first round of interviews will take place on October 24-25 and the two top candidates will go through a second round of interviews on November 5.
Board members said Tuesday that they expect to be able to announce their selection that same day.
Also on Tuesday, the School Board voted to award a contract for the construction of elementary school 19 to Branch Builds, Inc., which was the lowest bidder at $43.9 million.
That’s about $2 million less than the bid for elementary school 18, Jason Towery, executive director of facilities and maintenance, told Board members during a work session Tuesday.
He said that between the two elementary schools, there will be a cost savings of about $20 million.
“We believe some of our cost-effective designs and processes are having an impact,” Towery said. “That’s good news for us, at least for now.”
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
