Nampa Interim Superintendent Pete Koehler told board members Tuesday night he is expanding the committee charged with naming his replacement.
Koehler said the committee will begin its work in August, and hopes to be able to recommend a candidate by February 2014.
That time frame puts the district to have Koehler’s successor working that June and guide the district into the 2014-2015 school year.
As for the committee, Koehler will enlist the 11-member committee that trustee Scott Kido appointed in September 2012 following the resignation of past superintendent Gary Larsen.
On top of that group, Koehler wants the district’s three high school principals involved, along with an additional board member and other community representatives.
A representative from the Nampa Education Association and the Idaho Parent Teacher Association also will have seats on the committee.
The district is looking for stability as it attempts to erase an estimated shortfall of $3.5 million. Koehler is the third superintendent to lead the district in the past 10 months.
Following Larsen’s resignation, the first version of the search committee recommended Thomas Michaelson for the district’s top spot.
Michaelson resigned suddenly on May 14, at which point Koehler stepped in on an interim basis.
The district plans to cast a wide net in recruiting candidates for the job opening.
“We’re not limiting this to the local area,” Koehler said. “This will be a nationwide search.”
Koehler and the search committee will hope to attract candidates during the middle of the 2013-2014 school year, when they are completing their evaluations and beginning to make their plans for the following year.
“That tends to be the timeframe superintendents begin to look,” Koehler said.
Although the district is looking for stability, change will be inevitable this summer and next year. District leaders also are in the process of hiring a new chief financial officer. Koehler said he has spoken with three potential candidates – all with CPA experience – but said the district has not conducted formal interviews yet.
Finally, two new trustees are set to take seats on the board in July. Newly elected board members Brian McGourty and Mike Fuller will take their seats on the five-member board.
McGourty and Fuller will take the seats currently held by outgoing trustees Scott Kido and Dale Wheeler.
Kido and Wheeler’s final meeting will be the district’s budget hearing, which is set to convene at 6:30 p.m. June 18 at the district office.
Meanwhile, district leaders are engaged in bargaining negotiations with the Nampa Education Association. The district has proposed mandating 14 furlough days as a cost-cutting measure, and the teachers’ union had not responded with a counteroffer as of the June 6 negotiations meeting.
Both the district and the teachers’ union are scheduled to resume negotiations at 6 p.m. this Thursday at the district office.
