By Richard Meek
Contributing Writer

RESERVE – St. John the Baptist School Board members took the first step on the lengthy road to hiring a new superintendent by approving the school system to advertise for bids for a search firm to aid in the process.

Once hired, which is expected to be in early February, the firm will advertise nationally for candidates, screen the applicants and present qualified individuals to board members, who will conduct the interviews.

“By March we should be interviewing candidates,” board member Dr. Gerald Keller said during a special board meeting Tuesday morning. “We really need to get on this.”

Keller said the board would likely receive bids from the three most prominent education search firms in the country, including McPherson and Jacobson, an Omaha, Neb.-based firm that he has performed work for in the past.

Keller also mentioned Ray and Associates from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Research revealed at least three other firms specializing in placing education executives: Executive Search Service in Austin, Texas; BWP & Associates from Libertyville, Ill., and PROACT Search, which fails to list a city on its website.

During the meeting there appeared to be some confusion regarding what the board was voting for. Board member Russ Wise explained the board was only voting for the school system to advertise a Request for Proposals for search firms to submit bids. Wise said the proposals will be screened by the executive committee before being presented to the full committee.

School district officials said the RFP has been finalized and will be advertised Dec. 19, Dec. 26, Jan. 2 and Jan. 9.

“This is strictly for the advertising process,” he said. “

Keller said the selected firm will establish the screening process for candidates but ultimately the board will do the hiring.

 “You will interview the candidates at least once, a second time (if necessary),” he said.

Keller was adamant The search firms be allowed to make a formal presentation to the board before awarding the contract. He said the presentations will allow board members to ask questions and evaluate each firm based on personal interaction rather than from the glossy glare of a jazzy packet.

“I’d like to hear from the firm and hear what they said,” he said.  “I’ve seen it done all of the time. “

However, not all board members believe a search firm should be hired. Member Albert Burl III made a motion that no firm be hired, but that died on the floor because of a lack of a second. Burl is basing his belief that the new superintendent will be a local candidate, and the system should not spend up to $30,000 in the process.

He also said he believes several board members already have a candidate in mind, a theory several sources refuted following the meeting.

Board member Russell Jack also opposes using a firm. Rather he said he wants the board to “do it ourselves.”

The board is seeking a replacement for Courtney Millet, who resigned effective July 12. The board also paid a firm approximately $25,000 in the search for Millet, who was a longtime employee of the St. John school system.

Hebert Smith has been interim superintendent since July.