001Hey, good evening. I'd like to call this meeting to order. If everybody could stand while we do the salute and a moment of silence. Suzanne, you want to do the roll call. Okay. Um, I don't see anyone here that would like to make public comment unless >> Would you would you would you would you No. No. Would you Would you like to make it a comment to the board? >> You don't. >> Yeah. You don't you don't have to, but you you can. Yeah. [laughter] Melissa Snaringer, Paradise Township teacher at Springer Elementary School. I'm the school librarian. Um, I just want you to know we do care. I know at my building tonight's parent teacher conferences. Um, there's four dates that are conferences. So, teachers are preparing. We're doing conferences. Um, when I look at
002the times when we can meet with you, I appreciate that you're giving us that time, but it's half a day and it starts at 8:30, I think. And so, our kids are coming in at 8:25 and then only half of us, you know, till the till lunchtime. If it could be the PLT time, 7:55 to 8:25, maybe you could get more people to come to that at the high school and middle school. if it could be that time after school when the students are gone for the day. We do care. We're just so swamped. And so, I mean, I feel terribly that at first I was like, I don't even know if this was a public meeting. I even asked I asked Chip and then I checked again in the parking lot. We do care.
003I I don't know why there's not more here. So, I really appreciate that you are making it more community focused this time. I was involved when we hired Dr. Lombardo. I was on the panel of stakeholders to help go through that entire process. Um, so I'm glad to see that we're coming back to that that yes, everybody has the opportunity, everybody can have a say, everybody can be heard, and now it's up to the community, it's up to all of us to give you that information. So, thank you. Sorry. Thank you for the comments. We really appreciate it. Um so, uh moving on then. Um the announcements regarding executive sessions held since last Sunshine meeting. Um we did have an exe an executive session Monday, October 27th for personnel reasons. Um moving on from that,
004um the possible board and or administration response to the public comment. Does anybody have um a response to the public comment? No. Okay. So, moving on to correspondence. Okay. No correspondence to be had. So, we'll move right into the superintendent search with Miss Hope. >> Good evening everyone. I'm gonna go ahead and introduce Dr. Albert so he can speak to you. >> Good evening. Thank you for your time. If I may, I can easily be there at 7:50. It's not a problem. I I can be there at 7:50. I'll be there that day at 7:50. Okay. All right. Seven three. Uh, so my purpose tonight is I I've been meeting with several individuals and I and before I go into third, I'd like to thank Suzanne and I'd like to thank Dave and I'd like
005to thank uh meeting with them uh in preparation for all the things that we have been doing has been very good. I also like to thank the two board members that I met with as well. Um, you certainly did everything that I typically would do in a search. You did your homework, your dotted eyes, and you did everything in preparation to begin the search. So, if you're looking for a grade, I would give you a grade of uh well done in A because we have everything in place and now we're going forward. Before I kind of go over the process of the outline, I want to talk about the weekly reports. You have received two weekly reports from me already. Those weekly reports, there's nothing in there that you really cannot that you can't share
006with the public. But today, when I was at the high school and somebody showed up and said, "How many candidates did you have so far?" I have no problem saying, "I've spoken to four candidates." I don't have a problem saying we have one completed application. I don't have a problem saying that we have three people. I think that's being you use the word hybrid. I'll use the word transparency. I think they can be one and the same. I think that's just being blessue. I just think that's being very open with people and knowing how the process is going. So, um those written reports if you have a compelling notion to share with the public um they're pretty detailed. >> [clears throat] >> The only thing I ask you about the weekly reports, for Pete's sakes,
007you have my phone number and my email. If there's something in the report that you don't understand, please contact me. If I don't hear from you, then I'm assuming that everything's all right. And if you notice in my last report, I wrote in there, there were no questions from the first report. So, I didn't have any questions. So, I'm moving along. Remember, I'm working for you. I want that to be very clear. So I want you to understand the entire thing. So let me just kind of go through this a little bit and then we can I can maybe take your questions and share with you or any questions that you have. I'm not going to go over every detail, but you know the initial initial meeting we set up a timeline. We have dates
008established. Those dates are established so we because people get busy in their own lives and we have some dates in there. I know tomorrow is an election but we [clears throat] have some dates established and hope if somebody new gets on the board which at least one or if a few get on the board we will be able to say to them really nothing has been done at all the example I use is what we did with the search was if you would go to a movie if you go to a movie you don't have to get there 20 minutes early because you know it's all fluff in the beginning then the movie starts so all the things that we have done I don't want to consider it fluff But it's all things that we
009had to do to get things going. For example, I had to put this uh the um what we want in a super what we're looking for in a superintendent that had to go on um online with uh PASA and PARs. Uh we also um had to complete make sure the application was the Spring Grove way. We had to make sure certain things we had to make sure that we send an email out. we had the established dates. So really you have a document in front of you. We basically really took care of number one and number two and where we are right now is um like around number three and four we have um an application process. So let me give you an example of how that takes place. Today I got an email and
010now I can report to you that there have been five inquiries for the position. Um, that's one more than the f Friday report. And that person emailed me and I said, "Give me a good time when I can call you." So, most likely when I'm driving home tonight, I'm going to be calling that person and telling that person about the process and things like that. One thing I've been telling all the candidates is that most likely there's going to be a night where the final two are going to probably be in an auditorium with me as a moderator. Right. I think that I heard that pretty clear from this board. So, I want them to know that upfront. I can tell you and I don't have a problem reporting this. One person kind of flinched
011at that a little bit and you can understand why. It could be a person who might be local, a person who's nearby and it's a concern. That's not a bad thing. The other four individuals that I shared that to did not flinch at all. So, I I want you to know that. Um, I did share with you the weekly reports. >> Can I ask a question about that, Ed? >> I'm sorry. >> So, I mean, do we I mean, do we want to lock ourselves into that? >> It's a possibility that that might happen. >> Okay. >> Because we don't want to lose candidates. >> Okay. >> Right. Am am I correct in saying that? >> What? >> Yeah. I mean, I just I I I would like I don't want to lose good candidates
012if we have to forego that. >> Well, first of all, let me let me just correct say something. We didn't lose anybody yet because the person didn't say they're not doing it. I said they flinched. And the other thing is too, I'm kind of hesitant to lock in whether we're doing it or not. I heard from you that you might want to do that. We after tomorrow and you have a different board. I think they should be involved in that process as well. rather than this board just saying this is the way it's going to be. There's no ownership then of that new board and from a person who's been in education 48 years, you're going to have another can of worms on your hands and I don't think you want them. Okay. So, the
013person who I talked to knows me extremely well and I know that person pretty well and um the comment was can we talk in about two weeks? The answer is yes. So, we did not lose that person. If we would have lost somebody, I would sit here and tell you I just said they flinched, you know, because it's like, oh, I didn't know that was going to be the case. Thank you for asking the question. So, now we're at the point of um the applications. So, we're getting applications in and um the application basically is all the things that I had given you um in that we have checked off here and I worked with Hope of all the things that she would need in the HR office if somebody is an applicant. So, here's
014what's being done. So, let's say I'm applying here. I send in an application. The application has a part where you have to ask there's a question in there. What's your fast ball? what are you good at or something like that and you have to respond to that like a 100word essay. So that's part of the application as well. In addition to the application, candidates have to send in five letters of reference. They can send in their resume. They can send in a cover letter. Those are the things that send in to me. Right now at this point in time, I don't want their transcript, you know, criminal checks and all those type of things. I don't want that. That's not to say I'm not going to get them, but I don't feel like I need
015to kill a thousand trees in printing it uh for you. So, on the night that I bring the books over here for you on December 8th, you'll be walking away with a binder with everybody's information in there that I just mentioned to you. With the exception of transcripts, criminal checks, your certification, out of all the searches I did, I tell everybody, have those things ready because if I leave here on that night on the 15th and you're saying you want to interview person A, B, C, and D, then I reach out to person A, B, C, and D and tell them I need all your other things now. and they have a checklist of what they need to get to me, which again, I went over that checklist with Suzanne, David, and Hope, and we
016have that intact as to what Spring Grove would need in addition to what I'm using for this search. So, that's really where we are now. Um, there's really nothing else being done. Um, as far as me being available, I'm glad you wasted your concern. Uh, I can tell you today I hear where you're coming from and this isn't a bad thing, but it's a factual thing. Today I was in the high school from 8:30 to 3. I had three people and one was an administrator. You should not look at that as a negative thing. And here's why. Most people are completing a survey. Everybody I see, did you do the survey? Did I do the survey? I'd ask you if you did the survey. I'm pushing that survey. So, a teacher, I'm going to defend
017a teacher in this regard. A teacher could say, "Well, if I'm going to stop in and ed and talk to Ed and say, "I want somebody with integrity. They're honest um and they've been a proven leader for 10 years." Well, if you put that in your um survey, some people look at it as I don't need to be redundant and say that over again. So, I I can really defend them for not coming by um and talking. Personally, out of all the researches I've done, that's typical high school, unless there's a huge controversial issue with the bless you with someone. Typically, you get more people from the middle school and elementary schools. You know, elementary schools are when it starts to snow, everybody's excited. when it starts to snow at a high school, nobody's excited.
018Only superintendents are freaked out. You know what I mean? So, I I hope you get the gist of that. All right. Um, that's what I have for you. You have this in front of you. If you recall, when Suzanne called me up, and again, I really appreciate her keeping everything organized as well again as Hope and David. uh when she asked me if I'm going to have a handout, I'm basically giving you the handout that I presented to you. Why change it? Nothing's going to change. It's not that I didn't want to do more work. It's just here's the script. Here's how we're going about that. So, I guess at this point in time, well, I have one more thing to share with you. I got to give you another good grade. That is the
019following. I told you that I would reach out to you and talk and interview you to get your perspective. So, um I completed that uh late this afternoon. So, I got to commend the board for taking the time. Some of you Skype and send me the responses. Some of you talked to me on the phone and some of um and in one particular case I met in person. So, I have the documents here that I can share with you. There's nothing fancy about this. I did spellch checkck it. It's just lines in there. Like, so the first question is, what do you consider the significant strengths of the school district? Is all bullets in there. Nobody, unless you really know your fellow board member well, you might be able to say, well, that's what he
020said and that's what she said. I wouldn't suggest getting into that. I think initially the the call was we wanted we'd like to know how everybody feels. So, I have that document for you which we just printed off tonight. So, if you'd like that, um, you may have that. So, um, I don't know what else you would like to hear or what more importantly, I think what I'd like to do is give you an opportunity to ask questions because seriously, folks, you have a livelihood. You're a part-time board member. I know this with my father and all the boards I worked with. You're not walking around all day long thinking of the board, the board and board. A good board member will obviously do their homework, read the documents and things like that. And at
021sometimes I'll even give you a pass. That might be difficult because of what you have going on in your life. So tonight's a good opportunity for me to stay in here and say to you what questions that you may might have. So we're like geese flying in a V formation at a grading adding greater flying distance than if we'd fly on our own. So that's kind of I want here the unity of us all on the same page moving forward. So at that time I at this time I'll stop and see who has questions. Um, will we be taking time for the board to put all of that all the interviews that we gave with you together to create some sort of guidepost for us while we go through those um the interviews for the
022superintendent? Like if we could create a top three things that we can all agree on that we are looking for. I think that I think that might help so that we're not, you know, one somebody says something and then we just get get distracted by something that we think is a the 10th most important thing. Does that make sense? And >> it makes sense. >> I I didn't I always do different surveys. This time I did a survey that was you have another survey out there. So, you're going to have two documents. Um, you're going to have one document out there from the survey that you're going to have to take a good close look at and we'll do that the night when we sit down to go over the applications. Okay. In fact, I'm
023I'm going to even send that out to you before time so you can see that before time. All right. The second document that you might be referring to and I guess I guess I'd like to hear from the entire board on this. I have everybody's comments written out. I'm not so sure I really want to be the gatekeeper of saying here's what I think you're looking for. I'd rather have you all work maybe together on this. Maybe give this back to me and then I'd be more than glad to put it together uh for you if that's what majority of you would want to do. I think it might be helpful for the public to have an idea of the things that we're looking for in a candidate so that we're not just going blind.
024>> Here's a question for you. Are you going to share the survey with the public in a survey that's being done online now? I had talked about this in my presentation to you about are you going to do that? >> Can you give us the pros and cons to doing it or not doing it? >> Well, yes. I think if you're going to ask the if you really want to be and have transparency and you ask for a survey and then you don't share the results, people have to ask whatever happened with that. you know, did they look at it? Did they throw it away? Did it mean, you know, what did it mean? That's the um I guess I would call that a pro. The con would be you have no idea what the
025public's going to say. They can tell you. Don't take it personally. But this people when they do surveys might that's a time to take a jab at a board member. So your name might be in what I've done in one district who was maybe perhaps a little bit on the fence like you are right tonight. What I did was I tried to as best as I could go in and remove a name. Just take out the name. I can tell you the last time I did that there was one line I missed and the person's name was in there. The person didn't become unglued or anything like that. It is what it is. Um I do make mistakes and I'll admit to that. Um so that again is up to you. I think in this
026particular case, knowing what you have going through, knowing in light of the history of what took place, I think sharing the survey would be beneficial. uh before with anti-maskers and COVID. It doesn't mean that everybody was anti-mask. It just says that people came out to fight. So, we've done surveys before where the number one thing that they said needed addressed had seven tallies next to it was 4,000 students. There's no reason to not share it. It just without quantifying and understanding how many people do it, it can become challenging to know for sure that the survey is an accurate reflection to everybody because um you said you got three people that came down and saw you today. Until those surveys are done and you know what percentage of the school took the survey, it's hard
027to take what three people have to say out of a hundred and assume that it automatically. So there's no reason to not share it. Um the last time we did one, we also screened it for names or vulgarities or things that were just not appropriate. Um, not because you want to have to screen anything, but it needs to be done some people, but it's just it's just an ingredient in the cookie recipe. So, when you talk to the board, when you talk to people tomorrow, when it gets in front of all these different groups of people, there's going to be a little bit from all of it and they're all ingredients and trying to figure out how to do it better. >> So, you're not against sharing it. Okay. names and appropriate stuff like it
028needs to be. >> So the surveys you're putting out of the schools, we don't know how many in the high school or where those surveys came from. >> When when we when I put the survey results together, you will know that 54% were parents, 12% were students, 3% were teachers, you know, >> but not out of each school. >> No, it's not done. No, it's never been >> I I'm for having them be made. >> Yeah, I agree. I think they should be shared. I think then people will under I think more people will answer surveys in the future if they see that the results are shared in some manner. >> Well, we have the statistical numbers to go with it. So, hypothetically speaking, we only have 50 teachers fill out the survey. We're going
029to say we had 50 of 400 fill it out, and this is what that is. >> I I think I could I could get that, but I don't know how I could do that with parents. So, if I have 54% of parents, what am I basing that on? >> Is the is the Well, just parents, you just quantify how many people that raw numbers. >> Yeah, let's So we had 113 people or >> I can have raw numbers for both of them. >> It's pretty extensive. I think if I may, I think when I made a presentation here, I shared a copy of the survey with you. I think I asked for it back. You remember me sharing that with you? That's what the survey is going to look like. and to address your concern.
030Uh it'll be like a pie chart and tell you how many people with in different categories doing what? >> Yeah, I agree with that. I I agree with the public nature of the results. But context matters, right? So if you know if if the majority say this, we need to know what percentage that is of the total population. So that is meaningful. I I do follow your logic, both of your logic as to get into there, but the survey is available to everybody. So, everybody can fill it out. Now, I'm sure there are extenduating circumstances for a few people who can't get to it, but this is how all politics work. And this is like if you don't want to voice your opinion and you don't take the opportunity to voice your opinion, you're I'm
031not saying I don't care. I want to hear from them. But if they don't say anything, I don't want us to then get that information and say, "Oh, well, 45% of parents said this and we're like, well, that's not a majority." And so, we're just going to kind of dismiss it because then we're putting ourselves in a position where we're just going to guess at to what the other 55% said. Like, it's really tricky. So, yes, it's part of the forget the soup or the cocktail. I forget exactly how Ben said it, but it's just a part of all of this. But I don't want to continue to push on the fact that it's we only get 40% of a response that it's now not that important. If I may, as a consultant and as
032a person who's done many searches, if you wouldn't have the history and stating it back, of what just took place and the split on the board, I've been in school districts already where they have done the survey, they gave people input, and then the board decided not to share the survey. I can tell you I just did one at Upper Adams and they I they took they took parts of the survey and I'm most certain that they shared it with the public. Got no push back or anything like that. Uh I think the board members and their interim superintendent did that. I could check to make sure that that's accurate, but I'm pretty sure I'm not. I did a superintendent search in the Blackhawk school district. I did a survey in the Blackhawk school district.
033very divided board much more really divided and um they chose not to share the results. I think the purpose of the survey is this. There's two ways of looking at this. So let's say the history you went through and then this is what you do. Public, we don't want to hear a thing from you. We're running a show. We don't want to hear anything. as opposed to public. We want to hear from you because we want to take what you're saying into consideration. I'll make it clear and I said this today to somebody up at the high school. Somebody made a comment to me. They don't listen anyway. I'm going to again emphasize this line. First of all, let me give you a personal experience. When I would say to my father, "What advice do
034you have?" He'd give me advice and then I'd go do something else. He would come to me and say, "What do you want my advice for?" My responsibility to him is because I'm putting that in my own decision-m. I didn't say to him, "What should I do?" On this particular case, you can give input the community, but at the end of the day, they were elected. They're the ones who make the decision. So, you can't walk around and say, "They didn't listen to me anyway. They did listen to you. They ended up making a decision." Dave will relate to this. I know when parents used to call the school board and say, "Dr. Albert's not cooperating with me." What they should have called and say to the school board, "Dr. Albert told me no." And
035I don't like that answer because I was cooperating with them. They just didn't like hearing the word no. So, yes, you can give all the input. We can have the camp outs. we can start at 10 of eight, we can go to 10 of nine all day. I'm I'm using humor here, of course, but my point is at the end of the day, they were elected in. And I say to the public, if you don't like that, that's why they have elections. And that's just how life is. If you don't like something, that's how it is. So, I think if you're sitting here and saying take this document, because there's a lot of stuff on this document, and I'm sure when you go around, you'll be able to figure out why I know who said
036that. But that's not the point of this. The point is now you heard from everybody and everybody spoke individually. It wasn't like a team meeting where somebody could persuade somebody else or somebody listen to something else or anything like that. You can take this and if you would want to go through and say okay in number one here's two key things I'm looking for. Um I would probably narrow it down to maybe two or three things for each one. Then we could put it together and then I could give you that clear document of saying okay here's what you're looking for. So you would have that document in addition to the survey. You would have two good documents there to start going forward looking for your next person >> doesn't have to be decided tonight.
037I think we should piggy back on the let's see what happens tomorrow because uh we have time before the survey is done and uh there should not be a board that makes that decision today if it's not necessary that another board has to live with and it's just going to end up getting changed when the survey is done anyway. People don't agree with it. So it doesn't have to be done today. Let's get the survey done, get it in front of the board and then we can figure it out when we get it. Well, you make a good point because there's one thing I want to do and again, I'm going to be a stickler in this. This is the sitting board responses right now. Pending the election, there's going to be different players at
038this table. Okay? I'd like to call them them up also and put their input in. Then then that's really transparent. So, I have it here, but unless there's a burning desire, I could keep this. I just didn't want you to think I wasn't showing up and not doing anything with this. So, I have it here. If you'd like me to discard it and hold it, I can do that until we get the other members and see who it is. Once they're voted in, perhaps I could get their contact information and um or I could maybe start talking to May to the reorganization meeting. So, Ed, um if I may, um what as we're reviewing this, um because there will potentially be a new board seated, um with at least one new person, if not more,
039right? Yes. um before December 15th, I would say that we would end up after a DSF, we would end up in executive session. Um and what we would ask is when there's new when the new people are stood are seated you would um put that that together and in a synopsis format then we would go into executive session and then you would speak to us in terms of coalation of this information and give us advice in terms of what you're seeing here um what are the what are what are the highest levels of priority um and then we can we can discuss openly in exe in a in an executive session. So everybody has what you said. So in other words, I'm willing to wait until new one or several when there's a new board.
040Let's just use it that way. The new members would have an opportunity to answer these questions. I would take their information and put it in under each one. Then on my own, I would probably go through on my own and maybe pick out two or three things that I think would be the most pressing issues under that. And then I'd come and share it with the board. I'd like to add one thing to it. I'd like to excuse me. I'd like to share the document with the board perhaps if I can in advance. So when I show up and say here's my one or two, he could be sitting here saying, "Well, I'm saying three." And then most of you say, "I agree to three, too." and then that would just refine it a little
041bit more by that time. Also, the survey is supposed to be done November 20th. So, I would probably be able to show up at the survey, too, and be able to go over that with you. >> So, so we can collate it all. Yes. Yeah. I I agree with that. >> It's going to be a road map. It's It's going to be a road map to an idea of what you're looking for. Sure. Is it going to be precise? No. But it's it gets you into the ballpark, >> right? >> Yeah, I like that. Thank you. Well, if I may, what I'm going to do is ask the question again. Um, so I brought up a survey. So that was your discussion. I think is healthy. I'm going to say that to you. I would
042also I I've said this before in my life. I'll say it again. I would also say, you know, don't be afraid to speak up, which I don't think that'll be a problem, but speak up because I I really like to know where you're coming from. I guess my next question would be the one that I asked earlier. Is there anything that you have any questions about uncertainty? You're not pleased with something I I'm asking you again for some feedback. If we could at one of these subsequent meetings, will you explain how the actual interviews are conducted? [clears throat] >> How the actual interviews will be conducted like what what is that what does that look like? I see that we're getting >> Oh, for the interview for the candidate. >> Correct. >> Okay, let me
043Good question. So, what I have folks is I have a bank of questions. All right. What I typically do in a search is this. I'll send you this bank of questions. I think there might be 33 questions. I typically ask the board members and we'll have to talk about how we want the interview process to take place, but I typically ask board members to circle their 15 questions that they want. And then what I do is I get nine of those back to me. And then I go through and say, "Well, eight board members circle number one. Guess what? That's going to be a question during interview and likewise and so on. Following me? Okay. Then I also say to boards, are there any pressing questions that you want to ask? And then I put
044that in the pot too and I share that with you. So I don't show up with the I just give you a banker questions because I don't want to be the one who asks the questions. But what you'd be able to do is take the bank of questions that I have and they're pretty close. Some of the questions are two and three questions within a question. Um, you could look at those questions and say, you know what, there's a correlation between this question and here's what we're asking on here's what the survey said. So, there's a tie together. So, I don't just show up and say, "Here are your questions." Uh, when when we're in that kitchen, I'll take it one step further. During the interview process, we have a couple ways of doing it.
045We can each board member is assigned a question and they can ask that question or you can have me ask all the questions. I will come to each interview when we interview candidates. I will bring a list of the questions and I'll have this much space between each question. So, when we're interviewing candidate number one, you'll be able to put candidates number one's name on that paper and you'll be able to take notes of what he or she says during that. And this is a time for my humor. My space I'm going to give you is that big as compared to the one that you gave us to apply for this job this big. Hope you don't mind your humor. Okay. So, that's how that would work. Does that answer your question? And the bank
046of questions are questions that have been used time and time over again and they're they're pretty I don't have many boards that ask add add questions but it's all right to add a question. Let's talk about that too. So let's say you bring in three candidates one night. So you would let's go back to if it's going to be 15 questions. If you're going to ask each candidate 15 questions, each separate candidate could have a different question related for them. So at the end when we go through 15 questions, I would typically say to the board, does anybody have any other questions? Well, something must might have struck a nerve with somebody and they'd say, I want to ask this question. I encourage you to do that. The next candidate coming in, maybe that didn't
047strike a nerve with you. maybe that person answered that question and you don't have to go further into depth on that question. So there's going to be as much as it's going to be about 90% of the questions will be asked for of all the candidates, you will have some variation going off in a little bit of different directions depending on who the candidate is. Ed, if I may very quickly, Eric, you have another question be would you elaborate a little bit on what you described as the the digital responses that you're getting from the applicants, the three questions and the amount of time that each >> Okay. >> has I'm not sure the whole board is >> That's a good question. So, um I'm verbal with other people's money. So, and there's going to
048be a reason why I'm telling you this. Um, I rent from a company. I'll tell you the name of the company. The company is called Spark. S P A R Kir. Check it out. They do interviewing for airlines, for cruise lines. You know, if you want a job in California, you don't fly out for an interview. You do something online. What happens? Wanting to demonstrate it. Okay. Okay. I know. So, well, I had the computer in my hand. While I'm in this kitchen, you're certainly I'm going to force you to be engaged in talking about each candidate. But I can tell you most likely what I'm going to do first is this. Once we go through the applications, this is a process that I have used and it works with very divided boards and regular
049boards. When I go through a process, what I do is I say to you quietly now, give me your top three candidates on a piece of paper, uh, a stick of paper. I then tell you to take a break, go to the bathroom, get something to eat, and then I take everybody's notes and start. I put the names up here. So, let's say you all give me with your top three. So, that would be nine times three. That's 27 votes. So, let's say I put person A up here. Let's go back with Suzanne again. And let's say she has nine votes. Well, and then we go on. Once I get that done, then we sit and have a conversation. say, "Let's start talking." Now, if nine people vote for somebody that you want to vote,
050I'm not so sure you're going to have a lengthy discussion about that because nine of you are saying, "We want to interview that person." Now, you might get down to some people where you only have four votes. Then that's when you want to start saying, "Okay, who do we want to bring in? Who do we don't want to bring in?" And we go through that process. Why do I do it this way? You're an individual board member. I want to hear individual thoughts. Then after the individual thoughts, then we can go up here and start giving and take and persuading in out whatever you want to do. Are you clear on that? Is it a process of elimination? So if the one person only had two votes, then they have to put their votes somewhere
051else. Yeah, that's some work. >> Do you have a question, sir? >> I do like the gathering the top three candidates from everybody before we have a conversation and then we have the conversation. I do like that >> and trust me that works well. Um, again, I go back to Blackhawk and one of your questions was, "What's one of your most successful searches?" I'll say Blackhawk because it was the most difficult one. That board was a tough board. I mean, they they wanted to personally that board wanted to pro they were on the same track as you with me coming here everything to you. They wanted to be voting for a candidate and I stood up and down and said I I won't do the search once they I said I'll reig you got to
052have that other board involved and that was they that brought them together. I want to bring up one other thing you asked about a question and I I need to be very transparent with you. you asked a question about somebody coming at the end, maybe they might not want to be part of the community meeting and things like that. Um, I won't be surprised if somebody calls me up and says, "Why isn't it a why is it a 54?" I mean, if I'm applying here, um, take me back uh 20 years ago, so I'd be uh 50 applying here, I would be getting on your website, and the first thing I'd be looking at is board meetings. And if there are a lot of five four votes, I got to think twice if that's the
053board I want to go work with. I'm not saying eventually boards don't turn into that. And I'm not saying that boards don't turn away from that. Um, but you need to know that I think sometimes that can turn a candidate off just as much as maybe going to the final dance in the auditorium. Yeah, I didn't take it. She meant the final when he to get down in the finals. But if you tell people that up front, they may pull out evening before they get into the that we just don't want to leave anybody thinking that that's going to be done prior to them getting to that that that period. >> Fair enough. And the person that talked to me the other day, I said, "Don't pull on the switch yet." and I have a
054great deal of we have a great deal of respect for one another for what I do as parts. That's how I know him as the executive director. And um the person said, "I will wait. I I trust what they're to say. I will wait. I'm pretty much convinced I could say, you know, sometimes in life you have to take a risk, but you also need to know the risk for some of these people. Let's say it's Dave. And Dave really loves it here, but Dave wants to go to Redline." and Red Line has a public forum and Dave's in the newspaper of the York Dispatch and um you know he comes to the next board meeting and say well I'm ready to go for Spring Grove for a couple more years and you all just
055know that he interviewed somewhere else. You obviously understand that can get sticky. Your questions are excellent. I I'll take them all week long. >> If these are incomplete, I think we should give them back to you. That's just me. Mr. White already said it. Uh there's just going to be selective information that ends up on Facebook. We might as well get the stuff from the new boards before it gets put out there and manipulated. That's that's a segue into something I wish to share with you. The night that you pick up the board booklets, I'm going to tell you a personal story about this, and I could even get her on the phone to prove this point. I won't. But the night you pick up the booklets, you're going to be signing a confidentiality document.
056Some of you in here have significant others that work in the district. Some of you in here have kids that work in this district. Some of you have good friends that work in the district. So, not any one of those outweighs anyone else. They're all equal in my eyes. I'll just give you a story that you might want to think about. My father was on the school board at Cornwall London for 30 years. My mother was a high school cafeteria manager. He never told her. Never told her. Never wanted to put her in that position of letting it slip. Never told her. So, I know that's tough and I know you're going to have the documents before, but I will tell you once again, and you're you're smart people. You're very smart people. Loose lips
057sink ships. I can tell you of a few search consultants that have loose lips. People stay away from them. People stay away from them. I'm not scolding you. I'm just giving you a valuable lesson than anyone to really consider. >> Yeah. I I don't think we should conduct this search any different, but we do want to go out for teachers, administrators, or anybody else. Personnel is personnel. superintendent still personnel. I think if we need to abide by them same rules and handle that way. So I'm hoping that's what we're doing. We're not going to we're going to make it a big open circus then then we need to do that same thing in all our hiring process. It's it's no different. My mother my mother's name is Geraldine. My father's name is Edward. I'm junior
058but my mother always called him Albert. So my mom would come home from after a board meeting. The next day my mom was at school and she'd come home and say, "I know who you're hiring and my mom would tell my dad and then he would say, "How'd you hear that? Somebody left that link. That's that's just not good." You know, when I went before I put put my proposal in for this school district, I went on your website and saw the awards you got. You got a great website and not only a great website, but you have a great school district. I mean, I am the executive director of over 270 school districts. I've gotten around the c the 67 counties over the last three, four years. You have a very good district. You
059don't want to put another you don't want to put a stain on it by letting something slip. And more so for the person who's applying for the job. A person applying for the job might have a couple kids. They might have to move and things like that. and you don't want that getting back to their board and putting them in jeopardy. >> Just a couple clarifying questions so Suzanne Sterner doesn't look at me tomorrow and said, "What did he say and what did we agree to?" I just want to make sure. Right, Suzanne? >> Thank you very much. Um >> Suzanne and I'll call you then tomorrow. >> So in the in the next 48 hours or more, you'll know the makeup of the board unofficial. We all understand that no one has sworn in
060until December 1st. However, um I was just drafting a letter today getting ready for we know that we will have one new board member at least, potentially more. So, we are going to start uh information about new board member orientations. So, we'll be sending a letter to one or more people later this week saying we know it's unofficial. However, do start planning your wrap your head around these dates and what's coming and orientation and so so we know that my question to you would you be interested in and remember the board controls this I'm just asking questions um are you interested in interviewing that one or more people um prior to December 1st so that on December 1st when they one or more square in um that they then could become part of that discussion
061of you leading the board in what does the next superintendent in your opinion should look like so that we can stick to the you the timeline of December 8th you deliver the binders and December 15th the board would spend an extensive night uh with food and everything would take hours and hours to go through those binders and that new person or new persons would have those dates and have that information that's all public now any is that a timeline And then board if you don't want that please. This is your decision but >> firstlyations >> sorry >> I have no problems with it. >> If they're not fully sworn in is there anything that >> Let me make note of that and we can check with it. So I sort of make sure we certainly
062don't want to do anything. The other thing I want to bring up >> Wait a minute. May you're asking me that question. >> Sure. >> Okay. My answer to that question would be I would like that. That would help. And as far as information, all they're sharing with me is answers to nine questions. And all I'm giving them is dates. That's it. >> They wouldn't be given any of the information that you just read until December 1st. That >> until they're sworn in. >> So that that's a great question. Second, >> I just want to float this out here and I know that Suzanne and I made eye contact. when the board discusses what the board would like to see the characteristics of the next superintendent. I'm not sure that can be an executive session
063because you're not talking about an individual person but you're talking about a process and you're talking about general things and Suzanne looking at you recently because I think we even had the discussion. I'm not the attorney. I'm not the solicitor but I'm not sure that can be an executive session. It may need to be a public session, which it, you know, it is what it is. And do you have any input on that? I know you're not the >> either. No, I think you'd have to check obviously with Garrett, but I think that that can't be executive session because you're not talking about one person. You're talking about >> as soon as we cross the line >> about a process. >> Exactly. That's why I'm thinking that's not an executive session. And that way I
064can look at Suzanne and say, "Can we please put a line or an item on the reorg meeting on December 1st to have that discussion led by you?" Is that what I'm hearing from the board? >> Yeah. >> Yes. Okay. And Suzanne, you make a release. So then on December 8th, it's my understanding that you would be delivering binders to the board um to Suzanne's office. The board would then go in, sign the affidavit of confidentiality or statement, whatever it is called, and they would pick up their binders. They have one week then to review all things in there. And then on December 15th would be the long meeting of sitting down and collectively discussing in private, obviously executive session, all of the candidates that you have brought forth. >> Is that timeline? knowing that
065there's new people. There's at least one new person that's going to join this group, if not more. Um, and and Ben, I think you said this and I want to make sure the new board could could potentially change timelines and things like that. Um, I'm not suggesting they do because I think this is solid. I think it's rock solid um with what you have to say on pace because that would then put the interviews the actual interviews the first Monday and the third Monday of with the board privately in executive session of January >> right >> is okay I just >> I would love to do that I think as soon as you can get them on board no pun intended with the process that that's going to provide them if I was one of
066those people more like I'm being um I'm being valued ed and I'm part of the process rather than being dictated to me >> and and know that again within hours days we'll probably have unofficial results. So everything that we would communicate through Suzanne mostly um or from my pen letter signature would be always unofficial and nothing confidential of course would be given. We don't even have nothing confidential anymore because you just took it all back. Good. I would say the week of December 8th when you get the booklets. I can tell you from a nearby school district and two nearby school districts, my phone ran off the hook, >> right, from board members >> from board members to an application. They'll say, "I'm looking at somebody's resume and there's a gap of 10 years in
067here." >> Uh then I can stand there and say, "Okay, great." Because what I can do is even though I go through the documents, what I can do is I can reach back out to the candidate and say, "Hey, there's a gap of 10 years in there. What's up? I'm going to be meeting with the board." Or I can give the answer to the board member. Well, here's what happened. The person took off 10 years because their parents were ill and they were the guardians over their parents. You know, >> and clarification then, you would hope that if board members have questions, they would call you directly or contact you directly as early as the 9th >> rather than waiting until the 16th. Is that what you prefer? >> Right. But if people come in
068on the 16th and have questions, that's perfectly all right. But if you if you're wrestling with somebody wrestling with something, don't let it eat at you. Call me because it might be a simple answer. >> Thank you. And thank you, Nichol. Good clarification, by the way. Thank you. >> Are you available December 1st? I've been a friend. >> I'm coming back from North Carolina that day. you here December 2nd. It's a Tuesday and I don't know about board availability. The reorg meeting it to for the board, those of you that you've all been through it before, excuse me, um is a relatively brief meeting. Um there's really no very very little if any business is conducted. So, it would be a short meeting if we could do Tuesday the second. Tuesday the second I have
069available. But I I'd like to say, you know, I'm supposed to come back from North Carolina Monday morning, but I don't want to rely on planes, trains, and automobiles and not be here. The second I'm available. >> I'll look to you, Madam Vice President. Do you want to informally now declare a special session? >> So the special session would be um for the new board member or board members to speak to this or the the questions. Is that what we're >> No. Um if I may, the new board member or members would be receiving would be having that interview with Ed >> prior to December 1st, right? and December 2nd would be a public special session just to discuss the the papers that you took back tonight. In other words, you're that the main focus
070is >> over the survey and the responses of the board. >> Your your main focus that night, Ed, would be to get a consensus of like the top I think Eric the top three things that the board's looking for or whatever in the next superintendent. So, that's a work session, but it would be a special session and it is on a Tuesday. We try to keep meetings on Mondays because the board has done an excellent job of sort of clearing their schedules for Mondays. But I given this >> Yeah, >> if we want to stick to that timeline, I like have a choice. >> So because of my availability, what I like about that is this is having an open this is where you can speak up as a board member and we can really
071lay the groundwork as to what we're looking for based on the surveys from the community and your surveys. You know, you might find some things that you just say we're going to just take this approach. Again, I look at the public and say you had input, but they make the final decision. So, I think that would be healthy for all of you. >> I am I am good with December second. Um the rest of the board members um I I'll put it on my schedule. >> Can I Suzanne and I should have known this. Forgive me. I've been away for a while. Um the reorg meeting by law has to occur the first week of December. It doesn't have to be Monday night. So I could suggest >> trans just do Tuesday. >> That's Yeah,
072just >> Thank you, Suzanne. Again, I I knew that. I It jumped out of my head. I was so obsessed with that first Monday. So there would not be a meeting on the first the reorg meeting the the public would be informed that there's a reorganization meeting of the board on the second with then followed up by an agenda item of the discussion of the qualities of the next superintendent. Is that >> I'm looking at Mrs. That's better. >> Thank you. >> On Tuesday because everyone has board meetings on Monday. >> Yeah, it's a good point. >> And you're okay. Tuesday. >> Okay. All right. >> Wow. So, at that point in time, just let me I want to I I like being elementary about this. At that point in time, I'll be able to
073say to the new board, "Okay, folks, you're not getting anything new that the other board. It's not like they had this for weeks. Here it is. You're getting a survey. They didn't see the survey yet. You're getting the responses of the nine board members." you know, they saw a draft of that, but we waited um for you. Now, let's sit here and pick out the characteristics of what we're looking for in the next superintendent. And I probably could lead that like as a work session, going up to the board and saying, "Okay, we're looking for integrity. We're looking for this. We're we're looking for a good communicator." And highlight those. You could really individualize that for yourself based on those documents. Then everybody would get a say in here. Anybody else have any comments um
074questions about the process? Um the only comment that I have is um because I know you're actively um obtaining applicants and and putting our name out there, which we much appreciate. What I will say in terms of this board um and the next board, I have a feeling whoever it is, we are very active in our community. We're very proud of what we do. Um and a five4 vote, although that may imply difficulty in my opinion, it just makes us better, right? We have a lot of differing opinions. We all come together when the time is when the time occurs to make a decision. We make the decision and if it's 54, it's 54, right? So to me, that is not something that we should shy away from or feel bad about in any way.
075Uh because again, this is a very active board. We're all looking for the community to be um in a very transparent with the community and doing what's best for our students. So, as much as your point is well made and I was going to going to say what I'm saying now. You know, when I see a 9 vote all the time, I'm thinking something's not right. So, I would agree with you. If I may, I was very impressed with the give and take tonight. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. So, this is really the first time I'm working with you. So, when I'm driving down the road tonight and I call up candidate number five, he might say, "How's the board?" Here's going to be my response. He can
076look or she can look at whatever they saw in the past. I can't respond to that. But I can say I had a working session with them tonight public and I saw a lot of good give and take good suggest suggestions and really wanting the best for spring grow. That's how we catch it. Okay. We're typically either unanimous or 54. Like there's a lot of 908 ones and then there's a lot of >> Just a quick story. We're my Topah Hakin ran 78 ran up and down and we were getting three businesses and my board that night uh was voting on Alerta. You know what Alerta is? One10th 210 3/10. Well, it came down to a 44 vote. And the last person voted and voted and then she looked at everybody and said, "Did I
077do the right thing?" And everybody said, "Well, if you're in favor of the letter, you did the wrong thing." Oh, I changed my vote. So, we had a 5-4 vote on that. You know, so 54 does happen. And if you wanted to pass it along to those candidates, the five and the four are not always the same. That also shifts. >> And that's good. >> I give you an A+ for tonight. I enjoyed it. >> All right. If there is there is there anything else before we adjourn? Yep. Motion to adjurnn. Can I get a second?