Meeting set for Wednesday at high school.
By: David Pescatore
HIGHTSTOWN The East Windsor Regional School District needs a new superintendent and the Board of Education wants public input about what that person should be like.
Residents will have the opportunity to share their opinions at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Hightstown High School’s 700 wing.
At the meeting, parents, students and other residents will be asked by a representative of McPherson & Jacobson L.L.C., the company contracted by the board to lead a national search for a new superintendent, to list the positive aspects of the East Windsor-Hightstown area.
"This will be used to help recruit candidates," said Beatrice Gordon, a representative of McPherson & Jacobson.
The public also will be asked, "What skills would you like to see in the next superintendent?" This helps the firm to screen candidates, Ms. Gordon said.
Lastly, people can tell the search firm what issues the new superintendent will need to know about when he or she arrives. This information will be shared with finalists to make them aware of what kind of situation they would be walking into, according to Ms. Gordon.
East Windsor Regional has been without a permanent chief school administrator since January, when David Witmer left after 11 years on the job to become superintendent of the Middletown Township district. The position has been filled on an interim basis by James Sheerin since February.
The school board last month defined the seven key characteristics it is seeking in a chief school administrator. The board determined that the district’s new leader should:
have the ability to address the needs of a diverse community;
be a team-builder and a skilled negotiator;
have strong long-range and budgeting skills;
be proactive and not reactive;
be a strong educator with the ability to act as a mentor and bring out the best in others;
be an experienced classroom educator with a deep background in curriculum;
be decisive, but not stubborn, with the ability to make hard, unpopular decisions and take responsibility for the district.
The board also decided that the minimum base salary should be set at $150,000, which is nearly $5,000 more than former Dr. Witmer earned during his final year in the position.