19 candidates eyed for schools chief

Of the candidates, seven have superintendent experience

Search committee members will continue to narrow the pool of candidates, who will remain confidential.

MIDDLETOWN » The Middletown Board of Education’s Superintendent Search Committee received 19 applications for the district’s superintendent vacancy and reviewed them at last week’s meeting.

The application period closed Aug. 3.

Cooperative Educational Services Executive Search consultants Jim Ritchie and Tom Jokubaitis helped the panel review the applications and told the committee the quantity and quality of the applicant pool is among the best they have experienced in several years, according to a press release.

They credit this, in part, to the attractiveness of the Middletown community and public schools, security of candidate identities and outreach of the consultants and members of the community to viable candidates, the release continues.

Of the candidates, 11 males and eight females, seven have prior superintendent experience, nine have assistant superintendent or central office experience, and three have extensive experience in school leadership and development. Ten are from minority backgrounds, according to CES.

The committee is choosing candidates to invite to an initial interview to appraise the credentials, background knowledge and skill set to determine the best match for the leadership profile developed from school and community focus groups and an online survey. Sixty-five people participated in the focus groups and more than 500 completed the survey.

Committee members will continue to narrow the pool of candidates, who will remain confidential.

The panel expects to conclude its selection process by mid-September and recommend a nominee to the Board of Education by the end of September.