Birmingham Schools Ask for Community Feedback in Superintendent Search

has finalized a timeline as part of its search for the school district's next superintendent, and it wants your help.

The board is considering what characteristics Birmingham wants in its next superintendent, and will be collecting responses until April 28 in an online survey, Board of Education President Susan Hill said.

"The board is committed to a clear, thoughtful and meaningful process and you are an important part of that work," Hill said.

The search for the next superintendent of Birmingham Public Schools began in late March, when in Glenbard, IL.

Larson's official last day in Birmingham is July 1 and according to Hill, the district hopes to have a new superintendent in place by that date as well.

Process begins with survey, interviews scheduled for June

The first step in Birmingham's superintendent search took place March 27, when .

The district plans to pay around $28,000 in combined consultant fees, travel expenses and for advertisements. According to the firm's president, Linda Hanson, School Exec Connect plans to conduct a national and statewide advertising campaign for the position.

During the process, Hanson along with David Peterson, a retired superintendent at the Northern Suburban Education District; and William Hamilton, a retired superintendent from Walled Lake Consolidated Schools; will serve as consultants to the Birmingham Board of Education.

The school board met with School Exec Connect on April 10 to plan for the search, hammering out the following timeline:

• April 23-24: Focus groups with schools staff and community members
• April/May: Administer survey; recruit candidates; accept applications; screen applicants
• May 8: Share survey report with the Birmingham Board of Education
• May 22: Special meeting to review candidate information
• May 30: First interview with selected candidates
• June 6-7: Second interview with selected candidates
• June 11: School board selects final candidate
• June 11-19: Reference checks; negotiate contract; finalize contract details
• June 19: Board action on new superintendent contract
• July 1: New superintendent assumes duties

According to Hill, details concerning focus groups with staff and community members are yet to be determined.

In the online survey, found at www.surveymonkey.com/s/BIRMINGHAMPS, the school board asks community members to consider the district's educational strengths and challenges, as well as managerial and organizational strengths and weaknesses.

Survey-takers can also choose five goals for the new superintendent, whether that's addressing the achievement gap to integrating technology into the classroom. The survey will close April 28.

Check out Birmingham Schools Superintendent Search 2012 for more on Birmingham Public Schools' search for a new superintendent this spring and summer.