Northside ISD Superintendent John Folks speaks about budget cuts as Karen Freeman, who is now board president, listens during a meeting on April 5, 2011. LISA KRANTZ/lkrantz@express-news.net
Northside Independent School District trustees set a timeline on Friday for naming a superintendent finalist by May 1.
Earlier this month, trustees unanimously selected Thompson & Horton LLP to conduct its superintendent search, which will be led by former state education commissioner Mike Moses and Houston-based attorney David Thompson.
The duo helped bring retiring Superintendent John Folks to the district in 2002. The district does not intend to announce the names of candidates for the position until naming a lone finalist.
This Week:
The search team will begin advertising the position nationally and in Texas later this week. Ads will likely pop up on American Association of School Administrators and in the publication Education Week. Thompson and Moses told the board they expect advertising to cost between $1,800 and $2,500.
By the end of this week, they will also begin sending a couple hundred letters to key education leaders in Texas and elsewhere asking for candidate suggestions.
March 6:
The two will coordinate several focus groups. Trustees will nominate about 10 people each, including parents, students, teachers, principals or administrators, non-parent taxpayers, business people, people of faith, city officials and critics of the district.
Focus group members will give their opinions on the district’s strengths and challenges as well as the professional and personal characteristics for an ideal superintendent candidate, Moses said. The district also plans to allow community members to give feedback online.
April 3:
The board will meet with the search team to select five to seven candidates for interviews.
April 9-15:
The board will hold a first round of interviews for five to seven candidates.
April 16-22:
The board will hold a second round of interviews with two or so candidates they’d like to speak with again.
May 1:
The board plans to name a lone finalist.
May 22:
After the 21-day mandated waiting period, the board will likely approve a contract with the lone finalist.
July 2:
The first day of work for the new superintendent would be July 2.
