Barnstable One Step Closer to Finding New Superintendent

A team player who can juggle an intense workload while recognizing, encouraging and incorporating teachers' initiatives to make Barnstable School District better and knows how to work within a set system and with charter schools - is sort of how Barnstable residents want to describe a new superintendent. 

Executive search consultants held focus forums throughout the Barnstable community to hear what Barnstable residents want in a superintendent.

The goal of the forums was to gather information to help those involved in the search determine what specific qualities will be important to consider when evaluating candidates for the superintendent position. In specific, the consultants hoped to distinguish what leadership qualities, experience, expertise, and district priorities they should be looking for in Barnstable’s next superintendent. They got plenty to work with.

Consultants held four separate forums this past week, meeting with the district administrative leadership team, the Barnstable community and staff members.

“Our next step is ongoing, as our consultants receive and review applications for the position,” said Margeaux Weber, co-chair of the Barnstable Superintendent Search Committee. The deadline for applications is February 18.

Also on the consultants agenda is analyzing the information gathered from the focus forums to help develop questions for applicant interviews. Interviews are planned for the first week in March, with three to five finalists being invited to interviews with the school committee.

“We hope to announce the new superintendent on or around March 24,” said Weber.

According to Weber there are no specific candidates to announce at this time.  Weber did acknowledge that to be eligible for the position, applicants must be licensed or at least eligible for licensure as a Massachusetts Superintendent.  Applicants must also have extensive experience in education, leadership, finance, and school curriculum to be considered.

This past November, Patricia Grenier announced that this would be her final year as Barnstable school district’s superintendent. The search for a new Barnstable superintendent began a couple of months ago, with the formation of a superintendent search committee. 

Barnstable has contracted with consultants from the Center for Executive Search at the Cape Cod Collaborative to aid the district in finding a suitable candidate for the superintendent position.