Though bound by a tight deadline to name an interim superintendent, some on the Oak Park and River Forest High School board would prefer to take their time in selecting a permanent replacement.
During the May 26 school board meeting, board members interviewed two search firms, BWP and Associates and School Exec Connect, but the board could not agree to award a contract that night.
“I know we have to move with some speed and be efficient, but I don’t feel as though I know the landscape or the possibilities beyond the two,” board member Jackie Moore said. “I think it would be prudent to at least [wait] a couple days to see if there are other potential firms.”
According to BWP’s proposal, the firm could complete the immediate search for an interim superintendent and the search for a permanent superintendent for $20,000, plus expenses. BWP representatives estimated the process to take between 12-14 weeks to complete.
School Exec Connect representatives said the firm could complete both searches for $19,500, plus expenses, and estimated a final candidate could be brought to the school board by the end of the year.
According to board President Jeff Weissglass, the Illinois Association of School Boards and a private firm have expressed interest in submitting proposals to lead the district’s search.
The search was necessitated when current Superintendent Steven Isoye announced his resignation earlier this month to become the new superintendent of Niles District 219. Isoye’s last day as OPRF superintendent will be June 30.
According to the school board, members have five weeks to find an interim superintend to lead OPRF over the summer and through the start of the 2016-17 school year.
“My concern is we are on a very short time schedule to find an interim,” board member Fred Arkin said. “However, we have a much broader time search to find a permanent superintendent. I think either of these firms would probably do an excellent job. My concern is if we go out looking for other firms, and it takes a couple of weeks to find other firms, those are two weeks we lost in a search for an interim.”
Board members suggested seeking other firms, while also asking School Exec Connect and BWP to submit bids solely for the interim superintendent search.
Board members were also “troubled” that School Exec Connect was the search firm that led to Isoye’s hiring six years ago, while BWP helped hire Isoye’s predecessor.
“I think we’ve used these two firms before,” Moore said. “It just feels like recycling, and it’s troubling.”
With the district largely in charge of the firm it ultimately selects, board member Steve Gevinson said much of the search will fall on the board members.
“I don’t know if you’re going to find tremendously gifted search firms,” Gevinson said. “We’re going to be so much directing things and really going to our own networks and connections as much as possible to try to find people. I don’t think we’re going to be relying in a certain sense on the firm unless we’re trying to find a national figure.”
The OPRF school board is expected to call a special board meeting the week of May 30 to again discuss the options.
Twitter: @steveschering
