Parma schools hire firm for superintendent search

The Parma City School District Board of Education has chosen a firm to help find its next superintendent. Last week, they selected Finding Leaders for this task. Cost was a big factor in the decision. The other firms in the running were K-12 Business Consulting and OSBA. Board President Steve Vaughn noted that Finding Leaders would conduct the search for free because the district is part of the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio. This saved the district between $12,000 and $14,000. The need for a new superintendent arose after Charles Smialek announced he would be leaving the position to work at Pickerington Local Schools. The search for his replacement will take about 10 weeks. The application period ends on April 23. Finding Leaders will hold focus groups to gather input on what qualities the community wants in a new superintendent. Interviews with candidates will start in late April, and semifinalists will meet with the board in mid-May. The new superintendent is expected to be announced soon after, with a starting date of August 1. Vaughn mentioned that the timing of Smialek's decision was favorable. If the announcement had come later, there might have been fewer candidates to choose from.