ALBION — The Albion School Board is conducting its first external search for a superintendent in a generation and so far, the process of finding an outside candidate to replace Ada Grabowski has been locally focused.
Grabowski announced in January that she would retire from the position she has held since 2002, when she was internally elevated. Albion School Board President Mike Bonafede said it has been at least three decades since the board has hired an outside candidate. To aid in the search, the school board contracted with a search committee from the University of Rochester’s Warner School of Education to collect community input and match desirable candidates.
“We want as much community access and input as possible,” Bonafede said. “(Finding the right superintendent) is the school board’s most important job.”
At an open forum Thursday, Warner School Professor and search consultant Stephen Uebbing gave parents an opportunity to list the characteristics they wanted in a superintendent, after explaining the demographics of superintendents and the challenges faced in hiring the best candidates.
The responses at the open forum showed a high and multifaceted standard. Participants said they most cared about having a student-centered, parentally-approachable superintendent that produced high graduation rates and test grades. Uebbing said that in other focus groups, the attributes of integrity and an educational background were also included.
According to Uebbing, as many as 500 community members have participated through in-person focus groups and an online survey to create a profile of the ideal candidate. He said the process of collecting information from local groups will be completed by March 22.
The information about the state of superintendents presented at the forum showed a group that is becoming more feminine, less mobile and soon to be moving out. Uebbing cited a survey of New York superintendents, indicating that 46 percent of current administrators intend to retire within the next four years.
Uebbing, who was the superintendent for the Canandaigua City School District for 18 years, said many expected applicants are from within 50 miles of Albion, due to economic and personal reasons.
“There is a difficulty in moving for superintendents that wasn’t there before,” Uebbing said. “Now superintendents can’t guarantee they’ll be able to sell their houses for what they paid and easily find a job for their spouse.”
In addition, Uebbing said having school-age children prevents some candidates from uprooting their families to take over a new district. Despite the difficulties, he said there were several qualified candidates who have already applied and that between nine and 12 options will initially be brought to the school board.
