By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
MONTGOMERY Nearly 30 citizens gathered at Montgomery High School on Jan. 30 to share their views on the strengths and issues of Montgomery schools and the knowledge, skills and traits they desire in a superintendent.
The PennSearch team, a consultant group hired to help with the search for a new superintendent, hosted the meeting to gather input from the community.
The office is open because Superintendent Earl Kim is leaving to take a job in Hawaii.
Students, parents, educators, board members and Rocky Hill residents, including Mayor Edward Zimmerman, came to learn about the process and contribute ideas. Many had children in Montgomery schools.
”You really came out to work tonight. Listening is as important as talking and building on what people say to you is equally important,” said Harris Sokoloff, the director of the PennSearch team. “If you disagree, we will try to understand it. It’s not about trying to solve anything it’s about trying to understand and guide the school board.”
Participants filled out a five-question leadership profile assessment. And, as a group, everyone discussed their responses and created one document that contained everyone’s combined opinions.
The top qualities that residents wanted to maintain in the district included the district’s reputation, the quality of staff, programs and students, teacher responsiveness to parent contact, the feeling of community, the diverse programs and co-curricular activities and the physical, emotional and social safety in the schools.
Resident Frank Bendziewicz emphasized the importance of preserving safety.
But nearly everyone thought maintaining Montgomery’s high quality education was paramount. When asked how many listed that in their top three qualities they wanted to uphold, 26 hands went up.
Nick Hladick, a junior at Montgomery High, was concerned with making the Board of Education meetings more available and open.
”The Board of Education needs to be more transparent so the community can get more involved,” said Mr. Hladick as residents nodded in agreement.
Others felt the focus on student education had weakened, with slightly declining SAT scores and fewer students getting into top universities.
To tackle these issues and keep the district running at its full potential, residents felt that the new superintendent must be honest, student centered, experienced in working in a district similar to Montgomery and have good judgment.
They wanted their ideal superintendent to possess leadership skills that comprised of being innovative, strategic, visionary and a team builder.
”We’re a changing community,” said resident Phyllis Bursh. “We need someone to take all of those things and bring them together and make people feel comfortable.”
Many said that the new superintendent must be professionally competent in problem solving and communication someone that will look for win-win solutions and can engage the district, staff and the community.
To continue the search process, the PennSearch team will take the input they have received from focus groups and the public meeting and create a leadership profile, which will become part of the job advertisements and interviewing.
The PennSearch group will send letters of invitation to individuals who meet Montgomery’s leadership profile to apply for the position along with the board’s standard job advertisements to gather a wide range of candidates.
If the school election does not move to November, Ms. Bradley confirmed that the final selection would be after the April 17 election.

