Clark-Pleasant community gives feedback on superintendent search

Stakeholders from Clark-Pleasant schools had the opportunity Thursday to give input and learn about the school board’s superintendent search.

Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation held a Superintendent Search Meeting Thursday at Whiteland Community High School. Steve Horton, Indiana School Board Association’s director of board services, led the discussion, jotting down feedback from the about 30 attendees on the qualities they’d like to see in a new superintendent.

Current Superintendent Patrick Spray will depart at the end of June for a superintendent job at Perry Township schools. Spray’s 15 years of experience as an administrator include 10 years as superintendent of Clark-Pleasant schools. During that time, he oversaw the creation of two new elementary schools — Grassy Creek Elementary and Ray Crowe Elementary — and a roughly $235 million project to expand and upgrade Whiteland Community High School, which is set to begin this summer.

Spray declined to comment on the search process, but said he would help the new leader transition to their role. The new superintendent would officially start their role July 1.

During the meeting, Horton asked attendees three questions regarding the school district’s needs and what traits the next superintendent should have. He first asked what people believed were the most critical needs and priorities for the school corporation and surrounding community. Attendees mentioned adjusting to rapid population growth, overseeing the high school renovation project, revamping special needs programs and addressing the causes of any complaints and litigation against the school corporation.

Horton then asked people what they wanted the new superintendent to do in their first 90 days, first year and long term. Attendees emphasized visibility and transparency. They said they want someone who listens to parents, teachers and administrators, someone who spends their days in the school buildings and someone who would regularly host forums and release surveys for community input. Attendees also wanted to see an increase in academic offerings, a greater focus on traditional, rather than computer-based learning and a greater focus on student mental health.

Horton wrapped up the meeting by asking people about the professional and personal qualities they wanted in the school district’s next leader. Community members wanted someone who has integrity, is collaborative, fiscally responsible and has knowledge of the curriculum at all grade levels.

Earlier this month, school officials released a superintendent search community survey that collected 446 responses. The survey results showed people want someone with previous experience as a superintendent, a Doctorate degree, a strong financial background, experience with curriculum development and contract negotiations, and someone with leadership and relationship-building characteristics, among other qualities.

The application window for the job will close Sunday at midnight, after which the five Board of Trustees members: Dave Thompson, Kimberly Crawford, Butch Zike, Kent Beeson and Linda Polesel will narrow down the pool to a handful of applicants. The first round of interviews are set to start on May 9, with the second round starting May 24, according to the superintendent search profile.

While decisions on candidates will be up to school board members, Horton said he will work with board members as they navigate the protocols of how to move through the selection process. The goal is to have the next superintendent on board at the beginning of June, he said.

Meetings like this are important because of the opportunity for board members to hear ideas they hadn’t previously thought of, Thompson said.

During the meeting, an attendee mentioned the possibility of hiring a superintendent who had business experience, without the requirement of educational background.

“That is something we never even thought about,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot of things that go into it. With this superintendent, things are going to change tremendously. There will be new projects, building projects. The building project here at the high school is going to affect the school corporation for probably the next 30 to 40 years. We want someone who is knowledgeable in a number of different areas as far as school management is concerned.”

The new superintendent should be someone who can keep a level head when managing a growing school district of almost 6,800 students, said Jenny Zahm, a parent and executive director of the Clark-Pleasant Education Foundation, which coordinates fundraising efforts for the district.

“I would like someone that’s financially responsible,” she said. “We have big building projects coming up and our schools are expanding and I know there will be more projects. I do want someone that can be calm in a crisis. I want someone that’s a good listener and a good communicator, so that the staff and community can have a good relationship with them.”