Members of the Ann Arbor school board fielded questions today from two professional search firms competing for the chance to help the district find its next superintendent.

Representatives from the Michigan Association of School Boards and Dave Kinsella and Associates asked Trustee Susan Baskett and Secretary Glenn Nelson several questions related to the request for proposals the board released last week. 

Representatives from both firms said the RFP was a comprehensive document.

“In all my years in this business, I’d usually have to be an oral surgeon to pull this kind of information out of a potential client,” said Dave Kinsella, managing partner of Dave Kinsella and Associates.

The meeting was optional for firms looking to bid on the job of finding the district’s next superintendent. Current Superintendent Todd Roberts, who has held the post for four years, is leaving this fall to become chancellor of the North Carolina School of Science and Math.

Todd Roberts

Nelson and Baskett reviewed several of the points in the RFP, including what the Ann Arbor community’s role is in the process and how the board will work with the firm that's hired. Nelson said the board as a whole will work with the search firm to hire a new superintendent, instead of forming a hiring committee.

Baskett said she expects the community to have a large role in the selection process.

“We expect lots of strong input from the community,” she said. “We think it’s important to get their input as a part of our philosophy.”

Richard Dunham, director of superintendent searches for MASB, asked board members whether they were looking for a firm from the education sector or an outside firm.

“That makes a big difference,” he said. 

Board members said they were open to all firms and hadn’t discussed that.

Dunham also asked the board to clarify the process of updating the strategic plan, which is expected begin in the fall. Nelson said the board wants to begin reviewing the document and updating it, with or without a new superintendent.

“We don’t want these coming months to be a period of treading water, waiting for he or she to come save us,” he said. “We need to continue with the strategic plan process.”

Representatives from both firms said they plan to bid for the contract and were pleased with the results of the meeting.

Kyle Feldscher covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com.