Baker school board discusses qualities it wants in new superintendent

By CHRIS COLLINS

Baker City Herald

The Baker School Board has a better idea of the kind of person the community would like to see leading the school district into the next decade thanks to the work of a consultant who visited Baker City last week.

During a special meeting Wednesday, the board reviewed and refined a list of qualities and qualifications gleaned from meetings with staff members and community residents by consultant Forrest Bell of the Oregon School Boards Association.

All five board members participated in Wednesday’s session with Deon Strommer, board chair, and Bell meeting via conference call from the OSBA office in Salem.

Strommer, who has been working out of town for several months, assured the board that he plans to participate fully in the search process.

He said he believes his eight-year tenure on the board will be of value in hiring a new superintendent. Don Ulrey will retire in April.

“I want to see this through,” Strommer said. “I feel like I have some knowledge and I want to be part of the process.”

Directors Damien Yervasi, Rusty Munn, Ginger Savage and Lynne Burroughs agreed to work to accommodate Strommer’s schedule to allow him to return to Baker City as much as possible for interviews and the selection of final candidates for the job.

“We’d all prefer for you to be here,” Savage said.

“It’s all to our benefit as a board and community to have your experience,” Yervasi added.

At its Feb. 16 meeting, the board expects to appoint a committee of 10 to 12 volunteers who will be charged with completing a “paper screening” of the initial applications.

The screening committee will winnow the applications and recommend a list of top candidates to the board. Anyone interested in volunteering must attend a March 16 training and commit to completing the screening from March 17 to March 31. To apply, call Norma Nemec, executive secretary, at 541-524-2261. The committee’s job will end after the initial screening of paperwork.

According to the search calendar, Bell will return to Baker City on April 1 to train board members on the interview and reference check process. And interviews will be conducted and finalists selected April 5-9.

Based on input from staff and community residents, the board agreed Wednesday to seek a new superintendent who:

• Is characterized by intelligence and integrity with strong ethics and common sense.

• Has a firm command of school finance and the budgeting process.

• Is a visionary leader with innovative ideas and the ability to set a steady course.

• Engages the educational community in a collaborative, transparent decision-making process.

• Is a good listener with excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Has an understanding of rural school culture.

• Demonstrates consistent approach to problem-solving.

• Has the ability to energize stakeholders and empower others.

• Addresses the needs of students in a globally competitive environment.

• Has a history of effective and creative use of resources.

• Is willing to live in Baker County and become involved in the community.

• Makes strong connections with other educational leaders in the state.

• Has demonstrated flexibility and the willingness to take on a challenge.

• Has a demonstrated history of collaborative leadership.