Higley board wants district more involved with superintendent search
Screen capture from YouTube
Higley USD Human Resources Executive Director Karen Johnson clarifies with the governing board what they want from a search firm for the district's next superintendent.
The Higley Unified School District Governing Board would like the district to have a greater part in this school year’s superintendent search after last year’s failed search.
The board on Oct. 16 directed Human Resources Executive Director Karen Johnson to begin collecting quotes with different models from search firms.
Last school year, Higley employed Ray & Associates to conduct a national search that ultimately resulted in the district contracting with Nate Carman, superintendent of the Socorro Independent School District in El Paso, Texas, to be HUSD’s next chief.
But shortly after the hiring, Carman was put on administrative leave March 25 from his job in El Paso after an external forensics audit identified him as having a possible conflict of interest regarding district purchasing decisions.
The district then rescinded Carman’s contract and hired interim Superintendent Sherry Richards to remain with the district for another year, pushing off Richards’ planned retirement. Richards, who replaced Dawn Foley on an interim basis last year, is considered a full superintendent this year.
President Michelle Anderson broached the subject when the agenda item came up at the board meeting.
“It doesn't have to be fully in-house, but maybe there could be more of an involvement of our administration this time,” she said. “And are there any firms that are versatile like that? And so I would like to put it out there.”
Johnson responded: “We can go out as a requirement of the quote that we would like that to be a collaborative search committee of both the board members, if that's what you're asking for, is both the board members and some administrators.”
Anderson said she did not have a “big picture vision” for what the search would look like in mind, just that the district not have to fully rely on whatever firm is selected.
Johnson said firms have different models that can be used.
Board Member Tiffany Shultz said if the district is not so fully reliant on the search firm, it could save the district money as well.
Johnson noted the district is getting a slightly later start on its search this year than last.
“We're a little behind at this point, but not terribly behind if we move forward soon,” she said.
We would like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Tom Blodgett can be reached by email at tblodgett@iniusa.org or follow him @sp_blodgett on X.
Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
Random Fact: He lived in Belgium during his freshman year of high school.
Hobbies: Tweeting enthusiastically about ASU softball (season-ticket holder) and grumpily about other local sports (pessimistic fan).
By 
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here