April 29 target for hiring new school superintendent

A consultant who has been hired to help the Baker School Board find a new superintendent came to town this week to begin the process by learning about the personal and professional qualities the community would like to see in the new school leader.

In meeting with the board Tuesday night, Forrest Bell of the Oregon School Boards Association presented a proposed calendar that targets April 29 as the date for hiring a replacement for retiring Superintendent Don Ulrey. Ulrey will leave the district at the end of April.

Bell said the job was posted Jan. 15 and will close March 12.

The board agreed Tuesday to tentatively approve the calendar Bell presented. Directors hope to resolve any possible scheduling conflicts by Thursday and will schedule a special meeting if any significant changes are needed.

In approving the calendar, Damien Yervasi, board vice chair, expressed concern about the ability of board chair Deon Strommer to attend critical sessions. Strommer has been working out of town for the past several months. He and director Rusty Munn, who was also out of town on a job assignment, were absent Tuesday.

“We need to get Deon Strommer to commit to being here on all of those dates,” Yervasi said. “If he can’t commit to being here, we need another school board member, is what it boils down to.

The board directed Norma Nemec, executive secretary, to call Strommer and Munn to determine if their calendars would accommodate the search schedule.

If Strommer is unable to attend the critical meetings, the directors agreed that they would have to consider appointing someone to fill the remainder of his term.

For most of the search process, Strommer could be kept informed through e-mails and faxes, Yervasi said, but once the board gets to the point of making decisions about candidates, Strommer’s presence will be necessary.

“Being here for the interviews is critical,” he said.

The board hopes to know whether the two absent directors can proceed under the adopted calendar before Bell leaves the district this week.

As the process gets under way, the three directors also agreed that in-district candidates will be given no preferential treatment. In advising them to make that decision at the start, Bell said some districts decide to grant interviews to all in-house applicants.

One or two district employees are expected to apply for the superintendent position, Yervasi said.

“I don’t think we should say that just because you’re coming from our district we’re going to grant you an interview,” he added.

Burroughs agreed, saying that preferential treatment could limit the number of outside candidates considered for the job.

“It does affect the candidate pool,” she said.

Bell began meeting with staff members Tuesday and will continue the process today. His first session began at 7 a.m. at the Baker Middle School with a second meeting at 3:30 p.m. at South Baker School.

A session for community residents to comment will begin at 6:30 tonight at the Baker School District office, 2090 Fourth St. A second public meeting is scheduled Thursday at the same time and place.

Bell also will meet with staff members Thursday. He will be at Brooklyn School at 7 a.m. and meet with members of the district’s management team at 9 a.m. at the district office.