EACS completes superintendent search meetings

LEO, Ind. (WANE) - The East Allen County Schools Board of Directors has completed a series of superintendent search meetings.  Meetings were held Thursday night at Leo, Heritage and Woodlan High Schools.

The school board used the series of meetings as a way to get community input on what characteristics parents wanted to see in the next superintendent.

EACS has been without a superintendent since March 1, which was Dr. Karyle Green's last day.

A Leo parent said he felt he and other parents wanted the next superintendent to be invested in the community and the school district.

"It was not something we felt like we got the last time," said Tim Richards, after Thursday's meeting at Leo.  "The folks here provided a lot of input I think on the different characteristics they want in a superintendent.  I don't know if we're going to be able to get a lot of those, but the board can sort through those things and assign some priority to it and make a good logical choice."

Terri Jo Lightfoot was the EACS school board member who spoke with parents at Leo.

"I think what we have heard is they would like some experience with some of the challenges we have in East Allen," she said.  "We have a lot of diversity, a lot of cultural differences, and a large geographical area.  And when you do changes like we have, someone who can bring everybody together again and work together towards a goal."

Richards said he has spoken with other parents across the eastern part of the county and thought everyone is basically looking for the same characteristics in the next leader.  He said this week's meetings can only help the board.

"I think the more input the board gets, the more buy-in they're going to get when they hire that superintendent," he said.  "Even when it comes to putting the contract together, if they share some of the details of that and why they do some of the things they do, then they'll get more buy-in and hopefully more support."

Lightfoot said the board will take the parents' input to a group of university professors who are helping the board find its next hire. 

Teachers and the school board are also having similar meetings.

Lightfoot added the board hopes to have the right person hired by the start of the 2013-2014 school year.