Survey says…

By Gracie Hart
Review Staff Writer
Published: October 9, 2008

Folks don’t seem too interested in talking about the qualifications that Orange County’s next school superintendent should have. Fortunately for school officials, they were interested in completing citizen surveys.
The second public hearing for citizen input on hiring a new school superintendent was held Oct. 2.  Similar to the first public hearing held earlier that week, four citizens showed up.
The hearings were intended to be an opportunity for citizens of the county to voice their comments and suggestions on what they desire in a new superintendent.
The school board is soliciting input on the hiring of a new superintendent.  Current superintendent Dr. William Crawford’s contract expires at the end of the 2008-2009 school year and school officials decided not to renew it.
Wanda Jones, president of the Orange County Education Association, took the opportunity to commend the board on the way that they are doing the search and to also voice her opinions about a new superintendent.
“Personally, I hope the board will really consider the information that comes from the community [and these surveys,]” she said.  “I hope that when [this process] is over, it will leave us with a little bit of hair and in good spirits.”
According to Jones, who has served under three different superintendents while working in the county, continuity, stability, leadership and management are very important.
“This is a very important search for our county,” she said.  “I am very interested in the new superintendent search process and how the board makes that decision.”
Jones mentioned that she believes the board works well with Crawford and that she hopes they will work well with the new superintendent also.
Kent Dixon, Orange County resident and grandfather of an Orange County student, also spoke at the meeting about his concerns with the search and the survey form.
“I disagree with the form. It’s confusing,” he said.  “[And] you have a very short window frame.”
According to Dixon, some of the questions on the form might not pertain to whether a person would be a good superintendent.
“Different people are better in different circumstances,” he said.  “The questions seem to have been written for sophomores in high school, not for deep thinking.”
Dixon also said he hopes the board is genuinely interested in citizen input.
“We care what the community wants,” said school board chairman Jerry Bledsoe.  “This affects the community and all of our students.”
Board member Judy Carter agreed.
“The board hasn’t discussed what we want as a board for the new superintendent,” she said.  “We all have personal ideas.”
Carter explained that the board will decide what they want as a board after hearing what the citizens want, which is important.
To that effect, two weeks ago, the board appointed search committee members issued a citizen survey to solicit input on the characteristics they might want in the next superintendent.  The surveys were due Oct. 2.  The committee then presented the survey results to the school board at the regularly schedule meeting Oct. 7. 
According to committee member Donald Brooks, 729 completed surveys were received, 256 of which were completed by school employees. 
According to committee member Alexis Smith, who presented the education and personal characteristics criteria portion of the survey results, overwhelmingly people required or preferred the next superintendent to have a doctorate.  Many also wanted the candidate to have previously been a superintendent, an assistant superintendent or a principal.  More than two-thirds also thought the candidate should have prior teaching experience. 
The top characteristics for the new superintendent as ranked were: a team player, visionary thinker and a motivator.  The top three personal characteristics were a good listener, consistent and enthusiastic.
Valerie Smith presented other criteria including those of the board-supervisor relations.  The top three ranked by importance were: leading the board in goal strategizing and planning, accommodating different perspectives and listening to recommendations.  The survey results also show that people want the candidate to facilitate an atmosphere of trust, encourage professional growth and maintain open channels of communication.
As far as funding, according to Vicky Tidman, the surveys show that the citizens think it is important that the new superintendent lobby for financing, identify useful programs and develop and explain the rationale for the budget. 
The surveys also show that it is desired that the candidate have expertise in curriculum and instruction, budget and finance and also school reform.
Now that the results are in, the criteria will be reviewed by the board and placed in the announcement advertising the open superintendent position. 
The board had initially hoped to decide on the qualifications for the announcement tonight in order to send it out by Friday.  However, after some discussion on proposed qualifications for the announcement, the board decided to have clerk Yvonne Dawson, who has worked with the committee on the surveys, compile the qualifications based on the criteria and format the announcement similar to one the VBSA had given them as an example.  She will then send the announcement out to the board for consensus and also to the VSBA for their input.  Once completed and approved, the announcement advertising the position will be sent out.