The Virginian-Pilot
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CHESAPEAKE
The School Board has decided to abandon its plan to hire a search firm to help look for its next head of schools.
Following an outcry from employees and some community members about the cost, the board announced that it had unanimously decided to conduct the search itself.
The board decided last month to solicit bids from executive search firms. During its 47 years, the Chesapeake division has always hired for the top job from within its own ranks.
Against the backdrop of looming budget cuts, employees protested that the cost to hire a search firm - Virginia Beach paid $40,000 for its last search - could save one teacher
position or multiple support positions. Board members who had wanted to hire a firm at first said they saw it as an investment in the division's future. But late Monday, they relented.
"I hope we showed the school employees and the city that we, the nine of us... are committed to doing what's right," Vice Chairman Harry Murphy said.
Some board members had contended that the expanding size of the school division demanded the board look more broadly, even nationally. As a compromise, the board said that while it had agreed to look externally as well as internally for candidates, applicants must have had administrative experience in Virginia.
"What we're sensing is that employees are not real comfortable bringing someone in from California, and we're sensitive to that," said board member Tina Pullen, who had been a supporter of searching broadly. "We really need someone who understands the budget situation in Virginia."
The position is open because of the retirement of W. Randolph Nichols. He'll step down in June after 15 years as superintendent.
The board still hopes to have a superintendent hired by May, Murphy said, and will advertise the job in several publications.
"All of us had to come to some degree of compromise to do what was best," said board member Tom Mercer, who had pushed for an internal-only search. "We are on a much more unified path today than we have been, and that's a good thing for Chesapeake public schools."
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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NOT Fooling Everyone
The school board already knows who they are going to pick, they are just going through the formality of saying they are going to interview. Most of all the positions that have been filled in Chesapeake was already done so before it was even posted some people never even interviewed.
If you believe the statement The Chesapeake Public School System is an equal educational opportunity school system. The School Board also adheres to the principles of equal opportunity in employment and prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, color, religion, age, or disability.
Then you do not know Chesapeake Public schools, We are infested with nepotism and the good OLE Boy System it is not what you know it is who you know and minorities are low on the totem pole.We have departments where there isn't one minority supervisor and just because the Assistant superintendent is African American doesn't mean we hire and promote equally basically he is like you know what on a bull. So the school board will continue the tradition and they will put on the facade that they have looked around and they will continue creating jobs for all of their friends and family.
Good Luck
This decision could be a mistake but good luck to Chesapeake in their search efforts. A national search conducted by a firm that specializes in searches is still the best approach to finding a top notch superintendent. The challenges facing Chesapeake and all school districts are significant and growing as the United States attempts to keep its place in the global economy. Declining revenues for public education for the foreseeable future further compounds the challenges he or she will face. Being a good educator is certainly a requirement but a superintendent must either have the experience or recognize and hire the expertise in a myriad of areas related to education. This decision could be driven by the fear of the potential for change. If so, the best person may not even be interviewed much less selected for the job.
Chesapeake Super.
Be careful what you wish for. Hope they break up the good ole boy network that has been alive and well for many years. Come on, everyone knows it exists. I believe they already know, just not saying. Please whoever it is, I hope they realize that the school system is way to top heavy. I do not care how they hire just put a lot of thought into it.
Dr. Andrejco would make an excellent super, she is fair and constant in her decisions and shows no favoritism. As long as you do your job everything is fine.
Chesapeake Schools
This is what they should have done to begin with. After all, what are we paying them for? Isn't this a part of their job for which they are already getting a salary?
wow
So... the education establishment can learn something new, like listening to their staff and parents, who knew?