EASTHAMPTON — The search has begun for a new superintendent of schools.
On Wednesday, the School Committee voted to hire Massachusetts Association of School Committees Inc. at a cost of $9,500, plus up to $2,500 in expenses, and met with the agency’s field director Pat Correira.
Superintendent Nancy Follansbee will retire June 30, 2018, after holding the post for eight years. The committee hopes to have a new superintendent on board before she leaves.
As the first step in the process, the committee wants to hear from residents and educators about what qualities they would like in a superintendent.
Correira said forums and focus groups tend to have a very low turnout, but committee members are hopeful that won’t be the case in Easthampton.
“I think that our community is very engaged and I think that they will come,” School Committee member Kasey Corsello said.
“We just had an election fueled by transparency, wanting to have a voice,” Corsello said.
She added that public education was a big topic in candidate debates and platforms.
Committee member Sarah Hunter agreed. “I think you’re going to get a lot of input,” she said.
Next month, the school committee will seek people to form a 13- to 15-member search committee. Correira suggests the committee consist of at least three teachers, three parents, a student, a community member, a senior citizen and a city councilor. Anyone who wants to be chosen for the committee will be asked to submit a letter of interest.
Correira suggested the district start the search using the current superintendent’s salary, with a range to be negotiated. Follansbee’s salary is $133,687. Correira also recommends advertising in the publication “Education Week,” which will cost about $2,000.
MASC says it works with the National School Boards Association and 50 state superintendent organizations to recruit qualified candidates.
“Twenty years ago we used to get 50 to 60 candidates,” Correira said. “Today you probably get 25 — maybe 30 depending on what the district offers.”
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.