School Board to Use Its Own and State Web Sites for Superintendent Search
By Amy Hetzner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Nov. 1–WALES — Six months after the Kettle Moraine School District’s superintendent announced her retirement, the School Board has kicked off a local search for her replacement.
The board has decided to post the opening on its own and the state’s Web sites with the option of hiring a consultant if it’s not satisfied with the applications that result.
“I think the general consensus of the board was there’s no reason to spend money on a consultant at this early stage,” board President Jay Crouse said. “If the board doesn’t feel comfortable that we’re getting the best potential candidates, we can always expand the search and spend the money. But it seems kind of foolish to do that if we can find someone who meets our needs.”
The board is accepting applications through Nov. 18 and hopes to have the field narrowed to final candidates just before Christmas break, said board member Kristi Davis, who pointed out that not every district uses search firms to help find new superintendents, and that both she and board member Gary Vose have hiring experience.
“I think the most important thing is to have a clear idea of what you’re looking for,” said Davis, a former elementary school principal in the Kettle Moraine district who served on the committee that recommended hiring Superintendent Sarah Jerome in 1991.
Announcement in April
Jerome announced in April, just days after Davis was elected to the board, that she planned to retire from the district by the end of the current school year. At the time, Jerome cited recent changes that she said threatened a “compatible” working relationship with the School Board.
The School District’s posting to a state job site lists a multitude of requirements for the person it wants to fill the position.
According to the posting, the district is looking for a leader with experience in financial management and school policies as well as the ability to attract and retain a highly qualified staff.
Integrity, creative and innovative thinking and a person “who leads through a balance of motivation and discipline, vision and practicality” are other qualities the district seeks.
At least two other Milwaukee-area school districts — Hartland-Lakeside and Kewaskum — also are seeking superintendents. With about 4,500 students, Kettle Moraine is more than twice as large as either of those districts.
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