Saline Board of Education Could Pick Superintendent Search Firm at Feb. 9 Meeting

The Saline Board of Education spent almost three hours listening to presentations from firms interested in helping the board find its next permanent superintendent, asking questions and deliberating options during a special meeting held on a Zoom call Tuesday.

The board listened to presentations from the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Leadership Institute, two full-service search firms, and Hulings and Associates, which would act as a consultant.

After the presentations and a discussion, the board voted to proceed with the firms they heard from Tuesday. There was some discussion about potentially opening the process to more search firms, but the board seemed swayed to move quickly because of the knowledge that 15 other Michigan school districts were looking for superintendents.

The board could choose one of the firms at its next meeting Feb. 9 - which would jumpstart the process. There's also the possibility the board could choose one of the full-service firms and then use Hulings and Associates to "coach" the board through the process as well.

Notably, Interim Superintendent Steve Laatsch was not present for the meeting. Board President Jennifer Steben said Laatsch wanted to avoid any conflicts of interest. 

The MASB's search service costs $8,000, with potential for other costs. The Michigan Leadership Institute's service costs $6,000-$7,000. Hulings and Associates showed a proposal costing $16,095.

The MASB and Michigan Leadership Institute presented similar proposals. The MASB, represented by Jay Bennett, highlighted its work for school boards (The Saline board is a member of the MASB), its connections and knowledge of the market and job pool, and experience in finding leaders for school districts. The Michigan Leadership Institute was represented by David Killips, who said his firm was 20 years of experience with board searches. He talked about the MLI's knowledge of the market and experience.

Killips talked about a process that could be done in 10 weeks. Bennett said the MASB process took 13 weeks. Both talked about working with the board and stake holders to develop a profile of the kind of superintendent the district was looking for.

The third proposal was from Hulings and Associates, which offered consultant services rather than a full search service. It was led by David Hulings, who detailed his 12-years of coaching leaders within the school district. Hulings spoke about developing a "common language" to help the board and stakeholders understand the kind of leader it was going to need to assume leadership of the district. The proposal would leave Saline's human resources department to do the leg work and screening.

Hulings' proposal raised several interesting questions. Hulings spoke of working with interim Superintendent Laatsch, among other Saline administrators. This led Trustee Aramide Boatswain to wonder if there was a potential conflict of interest. President Steben echoed the question.

Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Curt Ellis noted that the coaching contracts are expenditures of the district, not the administrators.

Trustee Brad Gerbe asked Ellis if the HR department was capable of leading the search. Ellis said that if the board were to choose Hulings, that Hulings' team would coach the board and leave the process to the HR department. Ellis noted the HR Department organized the hirings of principals earlier this year.

"I think the logistics of it are eminently doable. The returns are early, but by all accounts those processes were well received and the two candidates that we've got in place seem to be doing a really, really good job," Ellis said.

The Hulings proposal was so different, Trustee Susan Estep wondered how the superintendent search committee decided to recommend the firm.

Vice President Michael McVey, President Steben and Trustee Dennis Valenti serve on the search committee. McVey said Hulings and Associates came highly recommended. But, he too, was surprised by Hulings' strong ties to the district.

"I had no idea at the time that he was thoroughly involved with coaching individuals in our district. I was a bit surprised and a little taken aback that he was that actively engaged in our district at this point," McVey said.

At some point soon, the board will engage the community in an effort to determine what it wants from its next superintendent.

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