By James Lomuscio
A fiscally responsible, digitally savvy, administrator willing to sit on the floor with elementary school children, and raise the district’s academic bar even higher while adding diversity were among the qualities a dozen Westporters tonight said they want in the next schools superintendent.
Tonight’s session at Saugatuck Elementary School drew about a dozen persons. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com
For more than an hour, the small crowd that had gathered in the Saugatuck Elementary School auditorium shared concerns about the issues facing the Westport Public Schools—and the type of person best to lead as Schools Superintendent Elliott Landon retires at the end of this academic year after 17 years on the job.
It was the first of two community forums to be held by the Chicago-based search firm Hazard, Young, Attea (HYA) & Associates, hired by the school board. As second forum is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Town Hall auditorium
“Our process is really intense at this stage of information gathering,” said John Chambers, HYA senior associate, adding that the forum’s aim was “gathering information, gathering perspective from everyone who’s willing to talk to us.”
And with that he promised those present confidentiality, even from the press, if they preferred, just as his firm promises confidentiality to candidates currently in administrative posts elsewhere.
“Confidentiality on information gathering is essential to a really good search,” said Chambers, who was joined by HYA associate Deborah Raizes. “Quite frankly, we’re head hunters.”
As such, he said his firm will be reaching out to other schools superintendents in high performing districts, as well as going by referrals and advertising in Education Week. He even asked those present to recommend individuals they thought might be qualified to lead the Westport Public Schools.
Meanwhile, HYA launched a community survey asking for the same input, and it is now available at http://www.ecrasurvey.com/westport or can be linked to from the Westport Public Schools’ home page. The survey will remain open until Sept. 18.
Deborah Raizes and John Chambers of Hazard, Young, Attea (HYA) & Associates conducted the session. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Phyllis Groner for WestportNow.com
Chambers said his firm would present its findings to the school board on Oct. 5. He added that the school system was fortunate in that it began its search early, and that the new superintendent could be on board in time to choose the next principal of Staples High School for the 2016-17 school year.
One woman, who asked not to be named, suggested Susie DaSilva, the former principal of the Kings Highway Elementary School, who left Westport this year to be assistant superintendent in Darien.
As the small group warmed up, other suggestions flowed.
“I would like to see a superintendent who has a vision for the district that focuses on the elementary schools, not just somebody who focuses on who’s going to Harvard from Staples,” said one woman, asked to be anonymous. “Someone who will go to the elementary schools and sit on the floor and talk to children.”
Another woman said she wanted a superintendent who is “digitally savvy, not someone who just knows about Facebook and Twitter, but knows how to use them.”
Steve Halstead, who served 12 years on the Board of Education, stressed that the new superintendent would have “to maintain community support for education.”
“Without maintaining that you will see a continuing erosion,” he said.
In addition, Halstead said the new superintendent should have “integrity and vision and know how to empower and enable people and have energy.”
Halstead also described the Westport school system as “a big enterprise” comprising 1.5 million square feet and “serving a million meals a year.”
“If you blow it on any level, you’re in trouble,” he said.
