The Bronxville Board of Education has started its process of searching for a new superintendent, as the current superintendent, David Quattrone, plans to retire at the end of the 2016-17 school year.
The board has commissioned School Leadership LLC, a company which specializes in aiding school boards in administrative searches, administrative mentoring and strategic planning, to help establish a field of candidates to replace Quattrone next year. The contract will cost the district $21,000.
School Leadership has aided in more than 80 school superintendent searches since 2004, including at least 20 searches for school districts in Westchester County.
On Sept. 20, the board held a public meeting attended by representatives from School Leadership to discuss which qualities and experience district residents would find most important in a new superintendent.
The school district has also released a four-question online survey for residents to help prioritize the most important skills and qualities for its candidates. That survey is available at surveymonkey.com/r/bronxvilleschool.
School Leadership will use the survey results, as well as results from focus groups and public meetings, to identify what criteria the district finds most important for a superintendent to have. Charles Fowler, president of School Leadership, said the company only asks for feedback from the district when a board of education requests it.
According to a letter posted on the school district’s website by Board of Education President Jeffrey Rohr, the board plans to have a set of search criteria finalized by Oct. 20.
School Leadership will take the final search criteria and use it to advertise for the position, and will also contact its network of educators nationwide to find candidates who meet the school district’s specifications. The school district will then conduct its own interviews to narrow down the list of applicants until it makes a final decision.
Fowler said the final decision to appoint a new superintendent is scheduled for the beginning of April 2017.
Quattrone announced his retirement on Feb. 25. He plans to finish the 2016-17 school year in June, which would complete his 26th year as a school superintendent, and his 12th year as Bronxville’s superintendent.
