by KIM HILSENBECK
At its regular meeting Monday night, the Hays CISD Board of Trustees laid a plan and time frame for hiring a new superintendent. The hole in the administration was left after Jeremy Lyon resigned to head up a larger district near Dallas at the beginning of this year. Lyon started at Hays CISD in 2010.
The board heard from Robert Stockwell, vice president of operations for Proact Search, LLC, the Illinois-based firm hired earlier this month to conduct an executive search for a new superintendent. Four firms submitted bids in response to the district’s request for proposals, three were selected for interviews. Proact got the job.
This is the same firm that brought Austin ISD superintendent Maria Castarphan to that district in 2008. Proact Search also helped the Dallas ISD hire Mike Miles as its new head honcho in 2012.
Stockwell said the timeline his firm proposed for Hays CISD would allow ample opportunity for public comment and feedback. Stockwell said the goal is to gather stakeholder input about what is important in a candidate. The process will likely include at least two public forums along with focus groups and a district-wide survey. Board members will be interviewed individually to assist Proact in understanding the characteristics desired for a new superintendent.
At the same meeting, the board also approved the approximately $6,700 advertising budget proposed by Stockwell. He said the funds will be allocated to cast as wide a net as possible in the search for a new superintendent. Proact’s recruitment tactics include placing ads in print and online, attending education conferences and conducting face-to-face searches for qualified candidates.
Based on board input, Stockwell said the goal is to announce the board’s final candidate selection by May 1.
