On March 7, the school board will host community forums regarding the search for a new superintendent. Two forums will take place that day; one starting at 7:30 p.m. at Creekside Middle School, and another starting at 7:45 p.m. at Clay Middle School.

According to school board president Layla Spanenberg, the community members contributing to the forums will represent many groups in Carmel, like PTOs and the City Council. The goal of these community forums is to develop a leadership profile for the new superintendent.

Spanenberg said, “These forums will include representatives from BWP & Associates, which is a national search firm for professional school leaders. This is part of the first phase of selecting someone, we want everyone to get together and talk about the leadership traits that will help continue our success. We want to bring together different parts of our community, so we can develop a leadership profile applicable to the district’s next superintendent.”

In addition to adult participation at the community forums, select students will meet in a focus group on March 8 in SRT. Spanenberg said the board thinks it is important to listen to the opinions of student leaders because all students are impacted by this decision.

Sophomore Emily Bopp said she agrees with Spanenberg, and thinks students should have a limited input in the selection process.

“It’s important to have the representation of student groups. Really, we are impacted the most by this decision, but it’s not our job to make it. A new superintendent could make changes to the district, and its (the district’s) job is to educate students and help us succeed,” Bopp said.

Although Spanenberg said the input of students and adults is important, the school board will make the ultimate decision through numerous phases of the search. There are four phases of the search process, and the school board hopes to announce the new superintendent at the end of April.

“BWP & Associates will look at important traits and compile a list of candidates for the board to look at. With the second phase, the board will listen to BWP present the slate of candidates. Board members will know who the candidates are, but it’s confidential to the public still by state statute. In this phase, we will have our first round interviews. March is a really big month for this decision,” Spanenberg said. “The third phase gets very comprehensive. We have an additional meeting with all of the candidates, and later we will take a candidate out to dinner with his or her spouse. In the fourth phase, we visit their current districts and look at who most closely fits our profile. Then we make the decision.”

As school board members work through the phases of the search, Spanenberg said they hope to find a superintendent who will represent and improve the school district.

“Superintendent Swensson is leaving on such a high note for Carmel. We’re a very high performing district and we need someone who can help maintain our level of success. Finding that person is the main focus right now,” Spanenberg said.

Although Bopp said she thinks school board members should decide who becomes the new superintendent, she advices them to closely consider the needs of students and teachers.

Bopp said, “It impacts education and jobs throughout the city. Standards should stay the same. The district does a really good job of challenging the students and teachers who work here. Even with sports, we always want to be the best. So (board members) make the best decision and choose the strongest candidate.”