Q: Do you have any update on the search for a new superintendent for St. Johns County schools?
A: We approved the timeline for the search at our school board meeting on Jan. 14. The first item will be a survey, to be widely distributed to all members of the community, to get input on what the public sees as important qualities of the new superintendent. The survey will have five categories of 10 questions each and we are asking respondents to select three questions from each category that they deem the most important. The five categories are performance accountability; board, staff and community relations; instructional leadership; business, financial and operational; and personal leadership qualities.
Q: When will the survey be available and how do people find it?
A: The survey will be online from Jan. 20 through Feb. 14. A link will be very visible on the front page of the St. Johns County School District website (stjohns.k12.fl.us). Information on how to obtain paper copies of the survey will also be available on the front page.
Q: Are there other opportunities for community input?
A: Between Feb. 3 and Feb. 21, we will host a series of forums and focus groups. General ones will be held in the north and south portions of the county and specialized ones will also be held for groups such as the teachers union and the business community. Again, this information will be available on the front page of our website. On Feb. 26, we will hold a school board workshop where we will discuss the results of the surveys to ascertain qualities suggested by the community to put together the advertisement for the superintendent position. We will also discuss the salary range and length of the contract at this workshop.
Q: What happens next?
A: The advertisement period will last from March 3 to March 28. At the April 10 board meeting we will identify the semifinalists and work on interview questions. All applications received will be posted on our website. We will reach out to these semifinalists with questions to be answered in written and some in video form. On April 25, the board will meet to identify the finalists.
Q: Will there be onsite interviews? And when will the superintendent be selected?
A: Onsite interviews, including both public and private interviews with individual board members will be held the week of May 12. During this week, there will also be opportunities for the public to meet the candidates. On May 20, the board will meet at 9 a.m. to select the new superintendent. This school board meeting is being moved from the stated date of May 13 and also the time is earlier in the day due to there being two graduation ceremonies the evening of May 20. Contract negotiations will start and a start date will be determined. We anticipate this to be on or before July 1.
Q: This seems like a very busy and compact process. Do you have any idea how many applications you expect to receive?
A: Our consultant tells us that this is a very coveted position that doesn’t come open often in our district. The consultant expects something in the neighborhood of 20 applications. We expect both internal and external candidates.
Q: Do you have anything else to share with District 1?
A: We are all heartbroken that two of our students have recently had accidents on the way to school. I urge parents to talk to their students about being diligent and careful on their way to school. And I also urge drivers to pay attention to the road and be extremely careful as well.
Q: How can our readers contact you?
A: They can email me at beverly.slough@stjohns.k12.fl.us or call me at (904) 547-7510.
