Participants in a recent public survey regarding the Albert Lea school district’s search for a new superintendent across the board identified similar characteristics and areas of expertise they hoped to see in the next superintendent. 

Ranked at the top among all participant groups was the priority for someone who is honest and ethical, while an effective communicator came in at No. 2. Participants also wanted someone who is transparent, consistent and a problem solver in five out of the six participant groups.

Barb Dorn with the Minnesota School Boards Association said 420 people completed the survey, which provided a good cross section of people in the community. Of that number, 153 were staff members, 122 were parents or guardians, 63 were community members, 59 were students, nine were business owners, district partners or in agriculture, and nine listed themselves as other. 

Regarding areas of expertise, collaborative leadership was identified in all six of the responding groups, as was budget and finance and curriculum development/education. Participants in five out of the six responding groups also selected personnel management in their top six areas of expertise, and three selected public relations. 

Staff and students also selected social and emotional support services, and parents/guardians and business owners/district partners selected student testing results and achievements in their top six areas of expertise. 

When asked whether they preferred the next superintendent to have previous experience as a superintendent, 49.87% selected “yes” while 50.13% said no.                   

When broken down by responding groups, a majority of staff members and community members said they wanted someone with previous experience in the role, while a majority of parents/guardians, students and business owners/district partners/agriculture said it was not required.

The top six specialized skills the next superintendent must possess included acting with honesty and in an ethical manner, developing and directing an effective leadership team, developing trust and working collaboratively with different groups and in the community. The person must also be a strong communicator, effectively mediate and accommodate different perspectives, and be visible and accessible to the school board, students, parents, staff and the community. 

School board member Gary Schindler said in a meeting last week when Dorn presented the results to the board that the survey results were powerful. He remarked about the consistency of comments amongst the different responding groups, as well as the themes that were present. 

Board member Angie Hoffman said she thought the summary was well done and that it reflects what she’s hearing in the community. 

Board Chairman Dave Klatt said he was impressed with how many people took the time to complete the survey and said it showed how important selecting the new superintendent is to the community. He said he liked to see the different consistencies amongst the different responding groups in their responses. 

Many of the responses also correlated with board priorities, Dorn said.

The survey also asked four open-ended questions, including what are some good things happening in the district, what challenges are facing the district, what the next superintendent should know about the history of the district and community to be successful, and additional comments. 

Dorn summarized the comments for each question. 

Regarding good things in the district, she said respondents identified the dedicated and hardworking teachers who go above and beyond to help their students, as well as the opportunities available to the students to support learning and growth. Respondents said they believed the district fosters an inclusive, student-focused environment that prioritizes social-emotional development, mental health support and positive school experiences.

Regarding challenges, respondents discussed recruiting and retaining qualified teachers and declining student enrollment. They also discussed challenges in addressing student behavior. The summary stated concerns were shared about inconsistent enforcement of discipline policies, student disengagement and the need for stronger behavioral and mental health supports.

Other concerns included budget constraints and rising costs, along with academic achievement and the need to restore trust and transparency. 

Respondents said the next superintendent needs to address the mistrust currently in the district and community and prioritize open communication and engagement with staff, students, parents and the community. 

They also wanted the next superintendent to recognize Albert Lea is a close-knit, small community with strong traditions. It is also experiencing increased diversity, high poverty rates and a growing need for inclusive and equitable educational opportunities. 

The full survey report is available on the school district website at alschools.org.

Next steps in the superintendent search

The board in its meeting last week considered further community involvement in the next steps of the superintendent search. 

They voted to have a representative from the following groups provide feedback about strengths and weaknesses of the candidates during the second round of the interviews:

• Principals

• Teachers (two representatives)

• District administration

• Executive assistant

• Paraeducators

• EL director/cultural liaison/school resource officer

• Parents (two representatives)

• Student

• District partner/chamber

The board will meet to determine finalists, interview questions and procedures in a special meeting at 5 p.m. March 18 and conduct the first round of interviews March 26. A second round of interviews will take place March 31.