By RONI REINO rreino@fosters.com |
Friday, May 13, 2011
DURHAM — Oyster River School Board members have lost a month in their process to find a new high school principal, and are still unclear where they are in the search.
"I do want to say its been one month exactly since we had a vote on Justin Campbell," Vice Chair Ann Wright said at Wednesday night's meeting. "I don't know how long it will be until we form a search committee. We've lost time."
Board member Krista Butts said she felt the reason the last nomination did not pass was due to lack of communication from the search committee to the board.
"We did not communicate properly to our board as a whole from the search committee," she said.
She also said since the search occurred while the board was in transition during elections, it might have made some members uncomfortable with the quick decision.
In April, board members voted 4-3 against the high school principal nomination from Superintendent Howard Colter. Since then, the board had formed a core committee aimed at determining members of the next search committee.
At Wednesday's meeting, the core committee was dissolved.
After a more than four-hour meeting, which included discussion on hiring process policies and if the superintendent will indeed lead the principal search, Board Chair Henry Brackett, Vice Chair Ann Wright and member Ann Lane were nominated as members of the new search committee to find a new principal.
The nomination came after board members voiced concern they were not following a hiring policy by having the core committee. Members said they have seen some policies followed and others not.
"I'm glad this came up," said board member Jocelyn O'Quinn. "We do have policy issues on this board."
Referring the recent student walkout, O'Quinn said students were not disciplined, despite truancy policies.
Board Chair Henry Brackett said he would like to follow regulation GCCR, which states the board will determine its level of involvement with the hiring process before it commences.
"It says the board should be involved," he said of the policy. "But it's out there for determination."
However, other board members said their interpretation of the policy indicates Colter would be in charge of the search committee.
Brackett added the policy states the assistant superintendent would aid in the hiring process, but the district currently does not have anyone in that position.
Without an assistant superintendent to help promote the open position, Brackett said it would be in the best interest of the board to work with a hiring consultant, especially with the summer approaching.
Colter said he would work with a hiring consultant, if that was the intention of the board.
At the end of the meeting, it was unclear if the board would go forward with working with a hiring consultant. The board has previously stated it has looked into working with either the New Hampshire School Board Association or New England School Development Council (NESDEC).
When discussions turned to who would determine the members of the search committee, members were torn.
"I'm now at the spot that I really think it is a joint responsibility between Howard (Colter) and the board," said member James Kach.
Colter said he hoped the board would either chose the entire search committee or let him, because he felt it would be uneven.
However, Kach said he believed it would add more balance if the board selected some members and Colter chose school-related members.
"You're going to get people that only agree with you," he said. "That's not healthy. I would prefer, if I was in your position, some people that wouldn't agree with you."
Board members are now looking to have multiple separate committees that include school-related officials, teachers, members of the school board and community and students to help with the candidate search.
The board is still looking for community members who wish to serve on the community committee to aid in the hiring of the new high school principal.
Any community members interested in being a member of the high school principal search committee may send their request either by e-mail to orcsdsb@orcsd.org or by mail to 36 Coe Drive Durham, NH, 03824. Members of the previous search committee may reapply.
Wright said the board has received at least five letters requesting to join the committee.
Brackett, Wright and Lane are planned to meet next week. Tentatively, the selected search committee board members have said it will be meeting on Tuesday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m. at the District's Central office at 36 Coe Drive to discuss the next steps.
Members have had multiple discussions as to whether Colter or the board would be directing the high school principal search.
"I see it not as my committee, but their committee," Colter said of the selected board members.
He added since the board chose the members, they would run that specific group.
"I do want to say its been one month exactly since we had a vote on Justin Campbell," Vice Chair Ann Wright said at Wednesday night's meeting. "I don't know how long it will be until we form a search committee. We've lost time."
Board member Krista Butts said she felt the reason the last nomination did not pass was due to lack of communication from the search committee to the board.
"We did not communicate properly to our board as a whole from the search committee," she said.
She also said since the search occurred while the board was in transition during elections, it might have made some members uncomfortable with the quick decision.
In April, board members voted 4-3 against the high school principal nomination from Superintendent Howard Colter. Since then, the board had formed a core committee aimed at determining members of the next search committee.
At Wednesday's meeting, the core committee was dissolved.
After a more than four-hour meeting, which included discussion on hiring process policies and if the superintendent will indeed lead the principal search, Board Chair Henry Brackett, Vice Chair Ann Wright and member Ann Lane were nominated as members of the new search committee to find a new principal.
The nomination came after board members voiced concern they were not following a hiring policy by having the core committee. Members said they have seen some policies followed and others not.
"I'm glad this came up," said board member Jocelyn O'Quinn. "We do have policy issues on this board."
Referring the recent student walkout, O'Quinn said students were not disciplined, despite truancy policies.
Board Chair Henry Brackett said he would like to follow regulation GCCR, which states the board will determine its level of involvement with the hiring process before it commences.
"It says the board should be involved," he said of the policy. "But it's out there for determination."
However, other board members said their interpretation of the policy indicates Colter would be in charge of the search committee.
Brackett added the policy states the assistant superintendent would aid in the hiring process, but the district currently does not have anyone in that position.
Without an assistant superintendent to help promote the open position, Brackett said it would be in the best interest of the board to work with a hiring consultant, especially with the summer approaching.
Colter said he would work with a hiring consultant, if that was the intention of the board.
At the end of the meeting, it was unclear if the board would go forward with working with a hiring consultant. The board has previously stated it has looked into working with either the New Hampshire School Board Association or New England School Development Council (NESDEC).
When discussions turned to who would determine the members of the search committee, members were torn.
"I'm now at the spot that I really think it is a joint responsibility between Howard (Colter) and the board," said member James Kach.
Colter said he hoped the board would either chose the entire search committee or let him, because he felt it would be uneven.
However, Kach said he believed it would add more balance if the board selected some members and Colter chose school-related members.
"You're going to get people that only agree with you," he said. "That's not healthy. I would prefer, if I was in your position, some people that wouldn't agree with you."
Board members are now looking to have multiple separate committees that include school-related officials, teachers, members of the school board and community and students to help with the candidate search.
The board is still looking for community members who wish to serve on the community committee to aid in the hiring of the new high school principal.
Any community members interested in being a member of the high school principal search committee may send their request either by e-mail to orcsdsb@orcsd.org or by mail to 36 Coe Drive Durham, NH, 03824. Members of the previous search committee may reapply.
Wright said the board has received at least five letters requesting to join the committee.
Brackett, Wright and Lane are planned to meet next week. Tentatively, the selected search committee board members have said it will be meeting on Tuesday, May 17, at 11:30 a.m. at the District's Central office at 36 Coe Drive to discuss the next steps.
Members have had multiple discussions as to whether Colter or the board would be directing the high school principal search.
"I see it not as my committee, but their committee," Colter said of the selected board members.
He added since the board chose the members, they would run that specific group.
No comments:
Post a Comment