Superintendent Search Advances

The Cambridge School Committee approved a “wish list” of attributes that it would like to see in the district’s next superintendent at a meeting last night, marking the end of the first phase of the search process.

Committee members emphasized that the list will not necessarily be a rigid set of requirements but a list that simply sets the tone for the search.

“There are all different pieces of the pie, and this is one of them,” said member Marc C. McGovern.

The list, which reflected concerns that the district’s new leader be able to lead a diverse population and be willing to listen to public input, was generated from public feedback collected by Ray and Associates, the consulting firm hired by the district to oversee the search.

In an online survey as well as focus group meetings held throughout the city, the public was asked to list the 10 characteristics that it would most like to see in the district’s new leader. At least one School Committee member, Patricia M. Nolan ’80, brought up an issue with the data, saying that the methodology gave extra weight to some respondents’ opinions.

“The only snafu that we had tonight was in tallying the responses,” said Luc D. Schuster, the co-chair of the superintendent search subcommittee and Nolan’s frequent ally. “The firm didn’t weight proportionally the number of respondents in each category.”

Although Nolan requested more time to study the data presented by the consultants—an idea that initially was supported by some other members—the committee ultimately agreed to pass the recommendations as presented after being urged to do so by Barbara Allen, the district’s human resources director.

Allen said that the best course of action would be to follow the set time line, especially coming into the holiday season.

“I’d hate to see us get trapped in the minutia and numbers and not get out there and do the recruiting that we need to do,” she said.

David E. Gee, one of the consultants involved in the search, also told the committee that recalibrating the results would not alter the recommended characteristics significantly. Schuster added that the results will be recalibrated and put on the Web.

The numerical data collected by the consulting firm will also be posted online, though individual written responses from community members will not.

The list was amended slightly by the School Committee, which added one characteristic—the ability to build consensus among individuals and groups—that the consultants recommended but had forgotten to put on the list voted on by the public. The committee members also added traits saying that the next superintendent should be able to assemble a management team to advance the district’s vision and ensure desired student behavioral patterns.

McGovern, who brought up concerns that traits like dedication to special education might be worth including, said he was willing to wait until candidates have been recruited to bring up these more specific concerns.

“This is not the end,” McGovern said. “There is plenty of opportunity for people to continue giving their input. The interview process will be where the rubber hits the road.

—Staff writer Michelle L. Quach can be reached at mquach@fas.harvard.edu.