Board to interview final interim superintendent candidate; members debate rubric and stakeholder input for permanent search

Board members updated the Little Egg Harbor Township Board of Education on June 9 that two interim superintendent candidates had been interviewed and that a third candidate would be interviewed at the next meeting. The board expects to discuss an offer and appoint an interim superintendent the week after that.

Members discussed the simultaneous search for a permanent superintendent, noting that applications are due June 24 and that the board may reopen the search in January if a suitable candidate is not identified. Board members debated whether to rely strictly on a numerical rubric or to include additional qualitative measures such as writing assessments, experience and pre-screening.

Legal counsel advised that whatever process the board adopts should be applied consistently to all candidates to reduce procedural risk, and several members discussed inviting stakeholders — including the teachers association and other designated stakeholders — to provide input at specific stages of the process. One board member described past practices that included public forums and stakeholder breakout sessions run by the New Jersey School Board Association as part of community engagement.

Board members discussed practical options such as using a search firm to help pre-screen candidates and to provide standardized criteria, while noting that some candidates may prefer confidential interviews. The board agreed to continue the discussion and to complete the interim appointment in short order.

What happens next: the board will interview the final interim candidate at the next meeting, discuss among members who to extend the interim offer to, and then consider permanent-search procedures while applications continue to arrive through June 24.