Superintendent Semifinalists Talk Leadership, Collaboration During First Round Interviews

The first three semifinalists for the superintendent position at were eloquent, succinct and exuberant Wednesday night during the first round of interviews with the Board of Education.

Wednesday was the first night for the school board to get to know three of the five semifinalists for the soon-to-be-vacated superintendent position. .

In the hot seat Wednesday night were:

• Richard Machesky, assistant superintendent of secondary instruction at Troy Public Schools
• Fred Procter, principal at Birmingham's
• Robert Shaner, executive director of instruction and technology at the Warren Consolidated School District.

Scheduled for an interview Thursday night is Daniel Nerad, superintendent of the Madison Metropolitan School District, in Madison, WI; and John Maloy, superintendent of Aspen School District, in Aspen, CO.

After the last interview Thursday, school board members will discuss and choose two or three finalists to return for additional interviews next week.

Semifinalists discuss importance of leadership

A key point discussed again and again Wednesday night was leadership, and how a superintendent should lead a school district.

"I have a passion for leadership," Machesky said. "I have a passion for the growth of others around me. In our profession, we have a responsibility to give back."

That was a point echoed by Procter, who noted that many people with whom he's worked in the past — whether they were administrators at Groves or assistant coaches during his years coaching college basketball — have gone on to leadership roles in other organizations.

"Part of my job is to assure we are having an impact not just in our district, but beyond our districts," Procter said. "It's important to create leaders that impact other districts."

All three candidates agreed that making important decisions involves collaborating with district stakeholders, whether that's formulating an overall vision for the district or creating a budget.

"We need to build a consensus (in whatever we do)," Shaner said. "We need to communicate what the visions are. We also have to ask stakeholders because so many times, we don't talk to stakeholders."

Also top of mind for superintendent candidates Wednesday night: protecting the classroom and students from budget cuts, maintaining a focus on 21st century teaching and learning and finding ways to succeed in the face of adversity.

"The superintendent in a school district is the leader of an aircraft carrier," Procter said. "It takes 10 miles to turn. My job as the superintendent is to look 10 miles ahead and make the decisions that need to be made."

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