The Thompson and Horton firm provided an updated timeline on the CISD superintendent search to the board of trustees during a special meeting on Thursday, September 3. Dr. David Thompson opened remarks by stating the position has already been posted to the Texas Association of School Administrators’ website, and they’ve already received inquiries from educators inside and outside of the state. Dr. Thompson says he and his partner Dr. Mike Moses also reached out to over 100 people requesting them to nominate considerations for the position.
“We think of this as chess and not checkers,” Dr. Thompson remarks. “We need to think multiple steps ahead, so that when you get ready to make a decision, you’re in the best possible position — that you have great candidates to look at and you have all the information you need from your community to make that decision.”
Dr. Moses also provided an updated estimated timeline to the trustees for the search process and finalize a hire by January 2021. Dr. Moses began by recommending the trustees nominate nine people each for a total of 63 individuals to serve on community focus groups and provide candidate feedback. Dr. Moses recommended nominating a combination of parents, non-parent taxpayers, business owners, faith-based representatives, educators, students, auxiliary staff members and elected officials by September 14.
After the focus groups meet on October 7 and the superintendent application closes on October 13, Dr. Moses suggested meeting on October 20 to discuss interviewing candidates. Dr. Moses then recommended that trustees interview candidates over a three-day period the week of October 26. After the trustees select two semifinalists, Dr. Moses recommends they hold an informal dinner with them the week of November 2. A finalist could be named by November 12 for a December 3 contract approval date, giving the new superintendent time to get ready for a January start date.
Dr. Moses stressed this proposed timeline is only a recommendation and not the rule. If trustees need to push back the timeline for a more thorough evaluation, Dr. Moses suggests they do so. Doing it right, he says, is more important than doing it quickly.
“We take this very seriously,” Dr. Moses says. “We want the best. The community deserves it. Carroll kids deserve it.”
Dr. Thompson recommended that a link to the superintendent search be posted on the front page of Carroll’s website at SouthlakeCarroll.edu.