The Port Washington School District is progressing in its search for a new superintendent, with the Board of Education approving at its meeting on Jan. 28 the job advertisement with specification of desired candidates.
Board President Adam Smith read aloud the district’s specifications for its new superintendent, which includes being an instructional leader at a central office level, an experienced teacher and a building administrator with a record as a “visionary who is able to move a successful district to even higher levels of achievement.”
Other specifications include leadership skills in working with diverse and growing student populations, the ability to provide students with an “appropriately challenging education,” collaboration with integrity, the ability to work with a diverse staff and an “involved board of education,” knowledge of best practices and skills with data, approachability and communication skills.
These candidate attributes were established through the district’s engagement with community stakeholders earlier this month.
Smith said the position would also provide a regionally competitive salary and benefits but did not specify salary amounts or benefit details. These details were also not publicized on the online job postings.
Will Tracy, a parent in the district, said during the meeting’s public comment period that his vision for a new superintendent would include management skills.
“Can that person effectively manage people, effectively manage staff and effectively get ahead of these problems that are foreseeable and preventable?” Tracy said. “That’s basically a ‘balls and strikes skillset’ for an administrator.”
He said this within the lens of issues being brought forward to the district, including large class sizes. Multiple parents spoke during the meeting asking the district to re-evaluate its class size policy, citing too large class sizes and disparity in sizes across classes.
Amy Bass, a former president of the Port Washington Board of Education, said the district has fallen in its local academic standing and advocated for smaller class sizes. She said the new superintendent should focus on bolstering academic excellence.
“We have special problems in Port Washington,” Bass said. “We need someone who can understand our community and who has a commitment to academic excellence.”
The search comes after former Superintendent Michael Hynes announced his resignation from the position last November. He was set to remain in the position through the end of December but was removed a month early after he was arrested for an alleged drunk driving incident in which he struck a motorcyclist.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Leadership Christopher Shields stepped in as acting superintendent after Hyne’s early dismissal.
