By Cate Lecuyer
BEVERLY — People are looking for a new superintendent who is visible around town, experienced and good at managing money, according to the feedback from three public meetings last month.
"It was about what I expected," School Committee President Annemarie Cesa said. The results were compiled in a 16-page document. "I think these are qualities we all want in a leader."
With Superintendent Jim Hayes resigning in June, the School Committee will start reviewing applications and hopes to hire someone by the spring.
Hayes was hired six years ago from within the department, after then-Superintendent Bill Lupini left on short notice. It's been a decade since Beverly launched a search for someone for the position.
"After this amount of time, it's appropriate for the community to have a say in what's important," Cesa said.
Many people stressed that they were looking for someone "skilled in budget development" who could make tough decisions and come up with "creative ways to fund programs and activities." They were also looking for someone "highly visible" in the community who would "become familiar with students by visiting the schools and attending activities," as well as "initiate collaborative relationships with community leaders, particularly the mayor."
The feedback was useful, Cesa said, and extended beyond the role of the next superintendent. People expressed concerns, for instance, about the transition of students into the new high school. There's a plan in place for that, which should be better communicated, Cesa said.
"The information that was gathered will be useful in hiring a superintendent, but additionally it brought up some other things we could do better," she said.
The School Committee hired the New England School Development Council to help in the search, and that company organized the three forums at the beginning of December. School Committee members greeted the public, but didn't stick around.
"We left, and we let them know we left, so they could be very comfortable and say what they needed to say," Cesa said.
The application deadline is Jan. 15; the search committee plans to review résumés and start interviewing candidates soon after.
Staff writer Cate Lecuyer can be reached at clecuyer@salem news.com.
