By now, we know that Stafford’s Board of Education (BOE) is conducting a search for a new superintendent. Rather than seeking help from an outside agency, such as the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) or Eastconn, they are tackling the challenge themselves and are looking for community feedback (follow the link to take a survey).
Additionally, they are looking for community members and staff to join the search committee and participate in focus groups. People interested in participating can email BOE Chair, Sara Kelley. (Her contact information, as well as that of all the board members, is available here.)
The survey must be completed by August 11, 2024. After that, the responses will be used to compile a report available to the BOE and search committee members, though there is no current plan to make the results available to the public.
With little more than a month before the new school year begins and no plans to appoint an interim superintendent in place, the BOE is betting that it will be able to find and appoint a new superintendent before Steven A. Moccio fully transitions out of the position. He is contractually obligated to spend 90 days helping with the transition.
So, let’s dive into the process and possible challenges the board may face in that search.
The importance of finding the right superintendent
The CABE Superintendent Search Services Handbook says, “The chief executive officer you appoint will provide leadership and direction for all of the educational activities in your school community. He/she will mold the substance and process of public education and will ensure that your priorities and policies are implemented. The superintendent can make an average school system a sterling example of the very best in educational innovation and substance.”
Stafford Free Press contacted CABE and talked with Patrice McCarthy, Executive Director and General Counsel, to learn more about the process. McCarthy says choosing a superintendent is “one of the most important decisions a BOE will make. It’s a decision that often impacts the school district after their service on the board ends.”
McCarthy made clear what most people know intuitively: the choice of a superintendent can impact the district indefinitely. So, what is the actual role of a superintendent? According to the Connecticut General Assembly: “In addition to being the board of education’s chief executive officer, state law gives each superintendent ‘executive authority over the school system and the responsibility for its supervision’ (CGS § 10-157). The superintendent is the education professional the board hires to be responsible for the school system’s day-to-day operations. But state law empowers the board of education’s elected members to set school district policies and develop and propose the annual board of education budget.”
McCarthy stresses the importance of good interview techniques, such as preparing a list of questions and asking all the candidates the same questions in order to find a suitable candidate. What it comes down to, though, is finding “the right fit for the community they are going to serve.” The BOE is often the best positioned to find that fit, she says. Of course, this requires that the board fully reflects and understands the values of the community it serves, which is why it is integral that community members also get involved in the process.
Timelines and salaries
We asked McCarthy about the typical timeline for hiring a superintendent, and she said it can vary wildly and often depends on the time of year the search begins. Many superintendents will choose not to leave a district in the middle of a school year, which makes it harder to find a new candidate mid-year.
Therefore, Moccio’s summer departure may benefit Stafford in its search. However, McCarthy says these are “particularly challenging times in education” and that there is a smaller pool of candidates today than in the past. Even people with the right qualifications don’t pursue superintendent positions. This has been an ongoing trend, brought on largely by the current climates in schools. In 2023, EdSource reported, “Turnover is particularly high this year because many superintendents who stuck it out during pandemic school closures, and the tumultuous years since, have had enough…” Still, McCarthy says things are not yet dire. She says she is unaware of any situations within the past two years where a district could not attract an appropriate candidate.
Stafford has had trouble filling other positions over the past few years, and many BOE meetings have revealed employees leaving for other districts. On the superintendent front, Tolland County’s top school officials make less than their peers in every other county except for Windham. In 2021, CTPost reported, “The average salary for a superintendent in Connecticut is $191,000 per year; among full-time superintendents, it’s $209,000 annually…”
At the June 3, 2024, BOE meeting, the superintendent’s salary was increased by 1.5% to $189,177, which is still less than the 2021 average salary for the position and significantly less than the average for a full-time superintendent. The job posting for Stafford’s superintendent position says, “The successful candidate will be offered a contract including full benefits package and a starting salary ranging from $183,000 - $195,000, depending on qualifications and experience.”
Interestingly, the CTPost article noted, “One of the challenges for local school districts—and a reason why compensation is high—is the high turnover.”
What Stafford’s BOE would like to see in a candidate
The board’s choice of the top official, who has “executive authority over the school system,” is a decision of significant importance. Currently made up of Sara Kelley (D), Aaron Hoffman (R), Erica Bushior (R), Eileen Bartlett (R), Shana Boland (R), Jennifer Biedrzycki (D), and recent appointee Christopher Paradiso (R), Stafford Free Press reached out to each board member to ask for their thoughts on what qualities, expertise, and experience they are looking for in a candidate.
In accordance with the BOE’s policy that all communications go through the chair, I received a statement through Kelley: “To respond to your question, the Board is looking for feedback from all stakeholders to help us make our decision. The Board is looking for someone who is focused on student achievement, fiscally responsible, able to connect with our school and local community, visible, collaborative, and ready to build a positive climate for learning. We have an incredible staff, but we need a leader who is invested in our community and takes the time to understand the dynamics of our town. This is an exciting opportunity for our school district and the Board is looking forward to hearing from the staff, families, and community.”
Again, the community at large can fill out the BOE’s survey here or join the search committee and participate in focus groups by contacting Kelley directly.