Executive director search takes shape

Posted Feb. 1, 2010

Selection of a new WSSDA executive director will take place by the end of May under a process and timeline reviewed by the WSSDA Board of Directors this past month.

The Jan. 22 board meeting was preceded by the first meeting of an executive search committee appointed by WSSDA President Kevin Laverty (Mukilteo). The committee is chaired by Immediate Past President Martha Rice (Yakima) and includes Laverty, WSSDA board members Chuck Namit (North Thurston), Miguel Puente (Sunnyside) and Anne Golden (Walla Walla), school directors Tom MacIntyre (Monroe) and John Hergert (Pasco), and WSSDA Interim Executive Director Harry Frost.

The board heard a presentation from Hagel and Company, which the board retained as its executive search consultant. Hagel representatives met with the search committee earlier in the day to firm up action steps and finalize a timeline for the search process.

Rice and the consultants reported that the completed timeline calls for an executive director to be selected by May 24. In the coming weeks, the consultants will be interviewing and surveying various stakeholders to assist the board in establishing a position profile, which will be finalized at a special meeting of the board Feb. 20 in SeaTac.

The timeline calls for recruitment of candidates to be completed by the end of March, followed by a review and initial selection of candidates in April. Finalist interviews, reference checks and site visits by search committee members are planned for May. During the meeting, it was decided that the full board of directors will take part in interviewing finalist candidates.

WSSDA’s Web site now includes an information section to keep association members up to date on the search process.

In other news from the Jan. 22-23 WSSDA board meeting:

• The board approved a final association budget for 2010. The budget totals $2,894,468.

• The board approved continuation of association task forces on small schools issues and trust lands. A proposal to create a task force on safe and secure schools was deferred.

• The board agreed to move forward with a review of the WSSDA Bylaws this year. Board members Andy James (Onion Creek) and Anne Golden (Walla Walla) will serve on a working group to review and make recommendations regarding potential revisions.

• Board members received training in the BoardDocs paperless meeting application. The board will moving to paperless meetings in April.

As noted above, the WSSDA Board of Directors will hold a special meeting Feb. 20 in SeaTac. The next regular meeting of the board is scheduled for April 23-24, and will be held in the Seattle area.

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