The board plans to start second-round interviews with a few candidates next week.
By:Lea Kahn Staff Writer
The Lawrence Township Board of Education interviewed the last of seven prospective candidates for the superintendent of schools position Monday, as the school board continues its quest to fill the top administrative post.
Four of the seven candidates were interviewed Nov. 5 and two more were interviewed Nov. 14, school board president Laura Waters said. All of the interviews were conducted in closed session.
The candidates were recommended by consultants Mark Smith and Carol Conger of Hazard Young & Attea and Associates. The Chicago-based firm was hired to find a replacement for former Superintendent of Schools Max Riley, who left over the summer for the Randolph Township school district.
Six of the seven candidates were on the slate of candidates presented to the school board last month. The seventh candidate came in later, and the board decided to interview that person, as well, Ms. Waters said.
"We are very happy with the pool of candidates that we have," Ms. Waters said Monday afternoon. "After this interview, we will be moving to the second round of interviews, maybe as early as next week."
The school board plans to bring in two or three of the seven candidates for the second round of interviews, which will entail more extensive discussions, Ms. Waters said.
Following the second round of interviews, the names of the finalists will be released to the public, she said. The school board wants the public to know the names of the finalists and who they are, she said.
The finalists will meet with the school building principals and administrators, she said. The details have not been worked out, but it is likely that there will be opportunities for the public to meet the finalists, she said.
Based on a leadership profile distributed by the consultants in September, 140 people who filled out the form said they want the new superintendent to be someone who is honest and sincere and who has good communications skills. That person also has the ability to create a climate of trust.
The 140 respondents included school board members, administrators, faculty, support staff, parents and community members. The survey was not a scientific survey, but just a conversation with many people, Ms. Conger said when the report was released to the school board in September.
School board members want someone who has a passion for education, who has a sense of humor and who possesses humility. Administrators seek someone who values staff members and who makes decisions on principles, not politics, the consultants wrote.

