By Crystal Hayduk
The Chelsea School District (CSD) Board of Education screened half a dozen potential search firms to assist them in finding excellent candidates for the position of district superintendent following the resignation of Andy Ingall on June 30.
David Killips, former CSD superintendent, began serving as interim superintendent on July 1.
Killips presented the board with information about three Michigan-based search companies, as well as three out-of-state companies from Minnesota, South Carolina, and Illinois at the school board meeting on Monday, July 13.
The board decided to learn more about the three Michigan companies, and Steve Olsen, school board president, said those companies will conduct a nationwide search. In addition, he said, companies from within the state would have a better understanding of Chelsea and the challenges and struggles that Michigan has faced over recent years.
The three search firms will be invited to the Oct. 12 board meeting for 30-to-45 minute presentations, and he said the board is expected to vote on a firm at the Oct. 26 meeting.
The three firms under consideration are Hartman Consulting in Haslett, Michigan Association of School Boards in Lansing, and Michigan Leadership Institute in Ossineke.
In addition, the board approved a $5,000 grant from the Chelsea Community Foundation to support general operations.
The board member liaison assignments for the 2015-16 school year will be:
North Creek Elementary – Anne Mann
South Meadows Elementary – Dana Emmert
Beach Middle School – Tammy Lehman
Chelsea High School – Greg Rhodes
Curriculum Committee – Laura Bush
School Improvement – Dana Emmert
Senior Center Board – Tammy Lehman
Chelsea Education Foundation – Anne Mann
Washtenaw Association of School Boards/Michigan Association of School Boards – Laurel McDevitt and Steve Olsen.
The City of Chelsea liaison position was left open pending further information. Board officers and other committee liaisons will be discussed and assigned in January.
Upcoming dates:
The next school board meeting will be a retreat with a facilitator from the Michigan Association of School Boards, scheduled at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 in the administration building conference room at the Washington Street Education Center.
The next regular school board meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 24 in the board room at the Washington Street Education Center.
