D-38 selects firm for new superintendent search, sets goals for 2024
The next step to finding a new superintendent for School District 38 is underway with the selection of a search and recruitment firm.
The Lewis-Palmer School District Board of Education had its regular meeting Jan. 22 at the district learning center in Monument where it made a selection on which firm will conduct the search and recruitment of candidates to fill the position of D-38 superintendent of schools. Present superintendent Dr. K.C. Somers submitted his resignation in December and vacates the position effective March 31. Somers is moving on to take a position in Arizona.
Board members conducted a public interview of its top two candidate firms and heard their respective presentations the same day prior to the meeting, being HYA and Associates, and McPherson and Jacobson. Board director Todd Brown said he all four firms that applied to represent the district’s search were excellent choices, especially the top two.
“I do think either of them will represent us well,” Brown said. “It’s just a decision about which one’s going to be the best fit for us.”
While both firms brought a fair amount of Colorado-based experience, HYA stood out to Board secretary Dr. Patti Shank because of the specificity of their process, she said. She agreed either would be fabulous, however.
Board treasurer Ron Schwarz and Brown noted HYA had a robust engine with a broader national reach, while McPherson and Jacobson had more experience in the region and a possible ability to better sell the region to new candidates. It was noted HYA lists open positions across the country whether its firm represents the hiring body or not.
Dr. Somers offered key aspects of the process for board members to consider about an overall search for a superintendent and share some of his own experience going through the process himself.
“My best advice to you is to go with the firm that you will have the most confidence and comfort in recognizing the uniqueness of the community,” Somers said. “I think you will hear this probably time and time again through community engagement is the recognition of what it means to be in the Monument-Tri Lakes area in respect of who we are, where we’ve been as well. I think they both answered this way as a recognition of what it will take to sustain excellence.”
After discussion, the board approved McPherson and Jacobson to be its representing firm 5-0. Board president Tiffiney Upchurch made a final comment commending both firms for first getting to know the district.
“It shows they were both professionals and they knew what they were doing,” she said.
In the near future, a comprehensive communication will be released by the district detailing the full search partnership process including key dates, a timeline and stakeholder input opportunities. In an email communication to the community from the board, it stated the search for a new superintendent was not a superfluous expense and is a pivotal decision for the D-38’s future. It also stated not spending beyond any budgeted allocations on the search; however, given there will be three months without the expense of a superintendent’s salary, from when Dr. Somers vacates the role to the hire date of his replacement, also provides a savings opportunity.
Among other actions, the Board of Education established and approved a living document which sets objectives for the board to achieve in 2024. The objectives are aligned with D-38’s strategic plan which aids the board to prioritize its work as well as focus requests for district staff to pursue on its behalf.
“This is the right thing for us to do,” Schwarz said. “One of the things leaders do is they hold themselves accountable to achieve results .”
At the time of the meeting, the list of objectives for the year had target dates which were yet to be determined. Schwarz noted he wants to see those target dates decided sooner than later, February if possible.
“I don’t want us to put ourselves in a position for our goals to slip away,” he said.
Upchurch commented on the amount of work which went into the goal setting and the strategic plan itself by not only the board and its district team but also the thoughts and ideas which have been produced from community engagement through the years.
Some of the objectives listed in the document include the search and selection of a new superintendent, ensure effective utilization of all district assets and making a decision on the long-term use of the Grace Best facility, improve compensation so that employees are paid a fair market share that is on par with peer districts, and expand on the district’s scope of support for student “Future-Readiness” by continuing to explore and expand opportunities for students in Career and Technical Fields. The list of goals also mentioned the possible design and development of an “Innovation Center.”
To view the board’s living document of goals and objectives for 2024, visit www.lewispalmer.org/boardofed.
D-38’s Board of Education also approved a mid-year amended budget, presented at the meeting by Chief Business Officer Brett Ridgeway. The statement from the board noted revenues are expected to come in higher than anticipated this year. Among the changes to the budget were the inclusion of a $1.4 million increase in projected revenues and allocating approximately $265,000 in carryover from underspending in the prior fiscal year.
The additional one-time use funds will be applied in a variety of ways including appropriate one-time expenditures for capital improvements. One key investment the district will make with the funds is in the transport program, including two new buses and the purchase of software to increase efficiency towards routing and student safety.
All budget documentation for D-38 is available to the public via its financial transparency website at www.lewispalmer.org/financialtransparency.
The logo for Lewis-Palmer School District 38
