November 11, 2024, Lawrence Board of Education Meeting

Board Will Work with Same State Association Involved with Summer Interim Search

The Lawrence Board of Education on Monday interviewed two finalists interested in assisting with its search for a long-term superintendent - a national executive search firm, McPherson and Jacobson; and the Kansas Association of School Boards. It chose to work with KASB, the same organization that assisted the board with its interim superintendent search last summer.

The board voted to hire KASB at a cost not to exceed $11,500. McPherson and Jacobson’s quote for a similar five-phase search process was $29,525. The board’s vote was 6-0. Past President Shannon Kimball left the room during the interviews and discussion and did not vote. Kimball recused herself due to a personal conflict of interest; she serves as a KASB governmental relations specialist.

Board members said that KASB’s existing relationship with the board, strong knowledge of our district and state, and lower cost tipped the scales in its favor. “We will be lower than anyone else you talk to, partly because we are a member service,” said Dr. Britton Hart, KASB leadership lead.

The board approved in March its annual renewal of its KASB membership and a season pass at a total cost of $16,640.34.

Board members said that they also preferred KASB’s description of its community engagement process. “It was more hands-on,” said Bob Byers.

“If we ask people’s opinion, we want them to see that we used it,” said Hart, who added, “We want to see you thrive and be successful.”

Board President Kelly Jones, who led the interim search for the board, said, “We had a very positive experience with (KASB) this summer.”

Vice President GR Gordon-Ross agreed. “KASB served invaluable during the interim superintendent search and brought in candidates from outside of Kansas, proving that they have that reach,” he said.

The board interviewed three finalists as part of its interim superintendent search – an internal candidate and two external candidates from Des Moines, Iowa, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. It unanimously hired Swift, a 36-year educator and educational leadership consultant, who formerly served as superintendent of the Ann Arbor public schools for over a decade. Swift is currently serving a one-year contract, effective August 30, 2024-June 30, 2025. Jones has publicly invited Swift to apply for the long-term position.

KASB said that it has contacts in all regions of the state as well as with school board associations in other states that would assist with the search. The two-person team that will work directly with our board, though, will consist of Hart and Dr. Michelle Hubbard, KASB leadership field specialist. Hart has been involved with public education for 25 years, including as a high school principal in Emporia. Hubbard could not attend the meeting because she was receiving the Kansas Superintendent of the Year Award in Washington, D.C.  She was appointed superintendent of the Shawnee Mission School District in 2021 after serving five years as its deputy and associate superintendent.

McPherson and Jacobson introduced a team of three interested in working directly with the board. Two joined the meeting online – Dr. Steve Joel, a former Lincoln, Nebraska schools superintendent, who has 41 years in education, including 37 as a superintendent; and Dr. Debra White, a retired Georgia Department of Education district effectiveness specialist and former assistant superintendent in Atlanta with 30 years of experience in education.

The third member of the team, Dr. Tom Trigg, attended the meeting. He is the former superintendent of the Blue Valley Public Schools located just east of Lawrence in Johnson County. Trigg’s 49 years in education include most recently leading Highland Park ISD in Texas.

“We very, very much want to work with you,” said Trigg. “I would be excited to find the very best superintendent for the kids in Lawrence.”

Trigg touted Lawrence Public Schools’ national reputation and a series of fine superintendents as top reasons candidates would want to come to Lawrence, as well as the attractiveness of a college town and what it offers candidates and their families.

The board worked with McPherson and Jacobson on its 2016 Superintendent Search.

When asked about our district’s top three “selling points,” Hart cited our focus on equity and strategic plan’s focus on learning, kids, and safety; our district’s uniqueness in Kansas as a two-high school town, and being a district that thrives on innovation and success.

The board’s goal is to name a superintendent in March to begin their service July 1, 2025.

Subject: RFP Update - No Addendum Issued
Lawrence Public Schools in Lawrence, KS, will not be issuing an addendum for the Request for Proposal (RFP). This decision is based on the fact that no questions were submitted for clarification during the specified inquiry period.

Submission Details:
Please submit your proposal by 9:00 A.M. (CST) on Friday, October 25, 2024. Proposals should be sent to bidslawrenceusd497@usd497.org.

We look forward to your response and appreciate your interest in partnering with us to enhance educational leadership in our district.

Request for Proposals (RFP)
Request for Proposals for Superintendent Search Firm (PDF)

The Lawrence Board of Education on September 23 directed our district’s Human Resources Department to develop a request for proposals from firms interested in assisting the board with the search for a long-term superintendent. Following the late June resignation of Superintendent Dr. Anthony Lewis, the board hired Interim Superintendent Dr. Jeanice Kerr Swift on August 12 to serve a one-year contract through June 30, 2025. Board President Kelly Jones has shared publicly that she welcomes Dr. Swift to apply for the long-term position.

Jones said that the board will interview interested firms, review their costs and services, such as wide advertisement of the position, broad recruitment of candidates, and facilitation of public input opportunities; and hire a firm to coordinate a participatory community selection process.

“We want to have a process that really is inclusive of our students, our staff and faculty, and community and board members to make sure that those voices are heard, and that when we welcome our permanent superintendent, we all agree that we have a candidate that we are excited about and that we want to lead our schools,” said Jones. She added that the board’s goal is to hire a superintendent in March.

“I would like to thank you for giving us that report. I think it is wise to… use every effort to find high-quality candidates. This is sacred work that we get to do. I thank you for making these extra efforts so that we can all be involved,” said board member Carole Cadue-Blackwood.

"When we did the interim search, we were on such a short timeline that we didn’t have the luxury to involve all the people that we knew would want to be involved,” said Board Vice President GR Gordon-Ross. “Now that we are starting the permanent search, one of the reasons we wanted to do the RFP and look at proposals, is to help us coordinate all of the input that we want to seek from the various stakeholders, so we can get a fuller picture of what the community is asking us to look for.”