Valley Stream high school board closing in on new leader

The search will soon be over to find the next schools chief for the Valley Stream Central High School District, according to Board President Ken Cummings.

With the help of School Leadership LLC, a search firm hired last year, officials are getting ready to interview a handful of potential candidates in the coming days. “We want someone who has experience, ideally as a superintendent because it’s a large school district,” Cummings said. Whoever is selected will replace former superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein, who retired in December. Dr. Richard Marsh has been leading the district on an interim basis.

Firm consultants first met with board members in December, setting a search timeline. Consultants then talked to the district’s staff, students and community members in a series of meetings ending last month. An online survey, which 105 people responded, was also offered on the district’s website.

Several groups agreed that good listening, social and interpersonal skills, visibility, experience in “instructional and curriculum leadership,” and knowledge of budgeting, finance and facility planning are the best qualities for the next leader. The board then adopted superintendent specifications based on those results at its Feb. 8 meeting. Cummings said the board used the search criteria in job advertisements in the New York Times, Education Week and the Online Application System for Educators.

Consultants completed a recruitment and screening process, in which interested candidates’ applications were reviewed against the district’s specifications, according to Charles Fowler, the School Leadership’s president. By the beginning of March, 32 candidates had expressed interest — nine who currently hold positions as superintendents.

Board members were scheduled to meet with the firm on March 30. At that time, the board would review each of the remaining five applicants’ resumés and other important information, and the firm would offer its recommendations of the finalists “who best met the criteria,” Cummings said. Interviews will take place March 31 through April 2. Following that, the board will have to select two finalists for final interviews on April 15. “We hope to make a decision after that,” Cummings added.

That decision, Cummings said, should be shared at a May Board of Education meeting. However, it may take time to finalize the decision and to do contract negotiations, he said.

The new leader would start on July 1 and be required to sign a three-year contract.