Consultant: Residents Want 'Everything' in New Superintendent

After conducting focus groups and interviews with residents, parents and teachers, the consultant in the superintendent search said the community and school staff want it all when it comes to the next superintendent.

Dr. Randall Collins of CABE Search Services presented the findings from the Leadership Profile Report at the Board of Education meeting at Thursday night.

was in January to help assist in the process of locating a new superintendent of schools by identifying the characteristics wanted by the community and school staff.

Over the past month, with parents, town staff, teachers and the community at large. CABE reviewed about 60 surveys from people who could not attend the focus groups and conducted numerous interviews. Collins determined that residents wanted "everything" from their new superintendent.

"The next superintendent must be able to manage resources, seek alternative resources, focus on children and commit to maintaining consistency in leadership over a period of years," according to the leadership profile report.

Teachers and residents want a superintendent who is visible as well as approachable and accessible to the community and the school staff, Collins said. The superintendent would have to work the town government, he added. 

"They wanted someone who could advocate for the schools but was aware of the fiscal condition of Rocky Hill," Collins said.

One of the main concerns facing the new superintendent is the accreditation of and the upcoming referendum on the renovation of the building, according to the people who were interviewed by CABE. The high school was .

"It was a big, a very big issue," Collins said.

Residents were also concerned with as well as the possibility of losing , he added. Besides the high school, residents were also concerned with the space and conditions at and the growing class size at the elementary schools, Collins said.

On a positive note, residents expressed gratitude toward interim for communicating information to the public.

Residents were also happy with the work of Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Marian I. Hourigan, especially her work with the curriculum.

"Her visibility in the schools and community, her knowledge of educational programs, work ethic and knowing each teacher has resulted her being held in great esteem," according to the leadership profile report.

Collins said he especially enjoyed conducting the interviews with the teachers.

"I think you should be proud of the work that they do every day," he said. "It is a very good town and school system."

The board has chosen Bill MacDonald and Frank Drumn as the representatives from the public for the first round of interviews with superintendent candidates. High School Principal Mario Almeida will represent the administrators, Hourigan will be the representative from Central Office and Richard Bruneau and Lori Cebelius are representing the teachers. 

Board members Raffaella Coler, John Bedlack, Frank K. Morse and René “Skip” Rivard will be part of the group that conducts the first round of interviews on April 3 and 4. The entire Board of Education will conduct the second round of superintendent interviews by itself on April 10.

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