Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Investigators release name of witness to fatal Phoenix shooting ... Construction kicks off on new Medford fire station ... States, federal agencies will seek removal of Klamath dams ... Investigators release name of witness to fatal Phoenix shooting ... Construction kicks off on new Medford fire station ... States, federal agencies will seek removal of Klamath dams ... ASHLAND SCHOOLS Ashland to hire interim superintendent Board decides there's not enough time to find permanent replacement for 2016-17 school year Comment By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 5:06 PM By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 5:06 PM » Social News The Ashland School District has decided to replace outgoing Superintendent Jay Hummel with an interim superintendent for the 2016-17 school year in order to conduct a more thorough search for a permanent successor. The decision came after the Ashland School District board hosted two community meetings last week, during which Ashlanders were invited to share qualities they would like to see in the next superintendent. Board Chairman Jim Westrick said the decision was too important to squeeze into a tight time frame — Hummel’s last day is June 30, with his replacement due to start July 1. Hummel announced his intention to resign March 3. “We looked at the calendar and how much time we have to make a decision,” Westrick said, “and the thing we heard over and over again ... is 'don’t rush it. This is too important to rush. Take your time.' “That really resonated with us, and we want to make sure that we have the time to make a really thoughtful, well considered choice.” Board Vice Chairman Eva Skuratowicz agreed. “We work hard to make sure that we have input from all the stakeholders and a deliberate and thoughtful process,” she said. “And we want to make sure that we get the best superintendent for our community.” To find interim candidates, the board turned to the Oregon School Boards Association, which provides a free service to help districts track down people who qualify and are willing to serve on an interim basis. The procedure is far less involved than a full-scale search, which requires several rounds of interviews and on-site shadowing. The board hopes to begin reviewing resumes in about two weeks and start the interview process the first week of April. The job will be posted in the coming days, and the district will set a cap on how long it will accept applications. Westrick estimated an application window of 10 days. “The sooner the better,” Westrick said, “because I think the sooner we know who the person is the more time that person will have to get to know our district and everything going on.” OSBA keeps a database of those who qualify for such positions and are willing to take a job on an interim basis. Having access to that database should help speed up the process, Westrick said. “Some of them are retired superintendents who maybe retired early and feel like ... they know what they’re doing,” Westrick said. “And that’s the big thing. I really want someone who can hit the ground running, who understands Oregon finance, who understands Oregon education law, all those kinds of things.” “That person’s just going to steer the ship for a year,” Skuratowicz added. OSBA’s role will not go beyond providing the district access to its database. In the end, the school board will decide on Hummel's replacement. Westrick estimated that about 20 people came to the community meetings, held March 8 at Walker Elementary and March 10 at Ashland High School. Joe Zavala is a reporter for the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 541-821-0829 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @Joe_Zavala99. By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Joe Zavala for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 17, 2016 at 5:06 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501