Cheboygan superintendent search presses on, plans to open internal application

CHEBOYGAN — With Cheboygan Area Schools Superintendent Paul Clark’s retirement coming at the end of the school year, the board of education has been working to find his replacement.

At an August board meeting, the board voted to start the search for the next superintendent internally, opening up the position to people within the district before posting publicly.

The timeline planned for the search includes goals to present the job opening to the district staff by the end of this week or Monday of next, have an application deadline of Oct. 14, and then interview candidates at the Oct. 24 board meeting.

In the case that the board decides to extend the search externally, the superintendent search committee is updating a portion of the job description to include information on the Cheboygan community and school district as a whole.

More:Cheboygan board votes to open superintendent position internally

More:Cheboygan Area Schools superintendent announces retirement

When it comes to interviewing internally, depending on how many applicants there are, there may be additional interviews with the superintendent search committee and interested district staffers looking to ask questions.

During Monday night’s meeting, trustee Roger Cronk voiced his concerns about the hiring process being conducted so far ahead of the start of the new school year. The superintendent position will begin July 1, 2023.

Cronk said he was concerned it would be a “waste of money” for the board to hire somebody this early in the school year.

“I still believe we’re starting this too early," he said. "Maybe we’re not starting to look too early, but I think if we’re going to hire somebody, I don’t believe we should hire somebody this early. I think it’s a waste of money right now.”

He said he would be fine so long as the salary is not paid twice, and that he wants it in writing that someone will not be starting in the role until after Clark’s retirement. Board president Amber Hansen clarified there would not be overlapping contracts with a superintendent's salary, but it would present an opportunity for job shadowing for the new hire.

If the board hires someone internally, they have the option to consider a stipend for working with Clark — whose retirement is effective June 30, 2023 — in addition to fulfilling their responsibilities throughout the school year, but additional staffers would not be brought on to complete their current job responsibilities, members of the board said at Monday’s meeting.

Clark said if the district hired internally, they would be able to consult with the person about the transition into their new role.

Marianne Ridings, chair of the superintendent subcommittee, said one of the benefits of hiring internally was the opportunity for the candidate to shadow Clark throughout the year.

The drafted job description lists attributes the board would be looking for in a candidate, like being a dynamic leader with a track record of long-term success in a school, strong communication skills and interest in keeping a “student-first” mindset. The description also mentions the ability to track budgets and manage finances, analyze data, offer fresh perspectives and ideas when necessary, and keep curriculum at high levels.

Cronk said he would change the job description to require a master's in administration, rather than any degree related to education. If the candidate doesn’t have a master's in administration, Cronk said he would want them to complete training through the state before signing the contract.

Administrators in the Cheboygan school district are already expected to hold a master’s degree, but Cronk specified an interest in an administrative degree in secondary education. He said he wanted to make sure the next candidate understands how district finances work before taking the role, noting that managing the finances of one building versus an entire district requires different understandings of finance.

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The job description also requires that the selected candidate be certified in the state. According to the Michigan Department of Education, the state’s certification for managing K-12 schools requires a master's degree in educational leadership or administration. People with master’s degrees in other areas are eligible for certification if they complete an approved preparation program.

At an August board meeting, members of the public spoke against the idea of hiring the next superintendent prior to the election on Nov. 8. Two board seats are up for grabs, and community members said no hiring decisions should be made until the election has passed.

There are five candidates looking to fill the spots. Ridings is running for reelection for her seat, with Carmela Boyd, Marlin Lowery, Matthew Mlynarchek and Timothy Tarjeft also on the ballot.

Two board members, Dennis Olsen and Hansen, are running unopposed for two partial term seats.

The Cheboygan Area School’s next regular board meeting is Oct. 24.

— Contact education reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com or on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN. 

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Cheboygan superintendent search starts internally, application opens