Rainier board hires consultants, narrows superintendent advertising range to $150,000–$165,000

The Rainier School District board voted on Feb. (recorded) to begin phase one of a superintendent search facilitated by McPherson & Jacobson LLC, heard a presentation from consultants Mike Scott and Doug Nelson and gave direction on timing, outreach and candidate criteria.

Mike Scott, a retired superintendent and consultant with McPherson & Jacobson, told the board he planned to prioritize outreach and stakeholder input: "When you think about doing the superintendent search, what is the most important expectation that you have for this search?" He then invited the board to name priorities. Board members answered with a consistent set of priorities: a leader who builds strong relationships with the board and community, who can maintain the district’s current financial stability, who is visible in the community and who has experience in small, rural districts.

Consultant Doug Nelson reviewed the draft calendar and recommended keeping a broad advertising window to maximize candidate exposure; after board members noted scheduling conflicts the board agreed to slide the schedule one week later rather than shorten the advertising period, a change the consultants said should not materially reduce the applicant pool. The consultants said their basic advertising package includes firm web posting, administrator association channels and job boards such as Indeed; the optional American Association of School Administrators (AASA) posting would add about $409. Board members declined additional paid advertising beyond the consultants' included services.

On selection criteria, the board asked consultants to highlight fiscal responsibility, communication and visibility, instructional leadership, integrity and experience working in smaller communities. Nelson said the board should require an applicant to hold or be able to obtain an Oregon superintendent license and to have prior lead-administrator experience (a principal or comparable district lead), and said McPherson & Jacobson will present a shortlist with background, resume materials and short recorded candidate responses for initial review.

Board members debated compensation messaging to attract the right slate of candidates. The consultants presented a comparison of districts of similar size and recommended a competitive range; after discussion the board coalesced around advertising a salary range of $150,000 to $165,000. Board members also discussed possible longevity stipends and contract language to encourage retention but took no formal action on retention clauses.

Next steps: the consultants will revise the calendar, draft the candidate brochure and criteria for the board’s review, begin advertising under the agreed scope and share point-of-contact information with the board. The board designated two district points of contact to funnel candidate inquiries to the consultants and asked that the finalized calendar and job brochure be circulated before the posting went live.

The board did not take a formal final vote on a hiring decision during the meeting; consultants will return with shortlists and recommended interview plans.