On Thursday, April 13, the Carmel Clay Schools board met with an outside consulting firm, b.w.p. and Associates, which allows institutions such as school districts to search for educational leaders.

The meeting was necessary in order to determine the timetable for replacing superintendent Barb Underwood, who announced her retirement last May. In attendance were all members of the school board and consultants Jim Warren and Ron Barnes, who were both former administrators in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Warren informed the board of the firm’s goals to set up focus groups in order to ask three main questions in the search for a new superintendent: What are the strengths of Carmel Clay Schools, what are the issues facing the school board and the community, what are the special characteristics necessary to be successful here and what else is needed to do a good job.

The board plans to utilize the b.w.p. and Associates’ national networking system to look for applicants, but the firm expects about 80 percent of prospective administrators to hail from Indiana or nearby states.

Secretary Gregory Phillips is optimistic of the quality of applicants. “We have first pick of the best people out there,” he said. Additionally, Warren and Barnes agreed. “You’re in the first tier of searches. We want to exploit that,” they said.

By Aug. 24, the firm will present to the board all business materials, including advertising, necessary for the search. On Sept. 14, which is also a school board meeting, the firm will hold audits and community meetings for parents, teachers and other members of the city.

School board member Jeffry Carter said, “I like the aggressive schedule.”

As for her replacement, Underwood said she hopes “someone great” will fill her shoes. By Michelle Hu <[email protected]>