[Board Work Session on February 09, 2026.] [00:00:06] GOOD AFTERNOON. IT'S FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 AT 4.05. I NOW CALL THIS WORK SESSION TO ORDER. THIS OPEN WORK SESSION IS INTENDED FOR DISCUSSION AND PLANNING ONLY. NO FINAL DECISIONS OR FORMAL ACTIONS WILL BE TAKEN UNLESS CLEARLY IDENTIFIED IN THE POSTED AGENDA. DENISE, WILL YOU PLEASE MR. EMKE? PRESENT. MR. GEORGE? HERE. DR. HANSON? PRESENT. MS. LEE? PRESENT. MR. MYERS? HERE. MR. MICKELSON? HERE. MR. MILLER? HERE. DOES HE NEED A MICROPHONE? YOU NEED A MICROPHONE, I THINK, DAN. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GEORGE. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ALL RIGHT? OKAY, THANK YOU. THANKS, DIRECTOR MILLER, FOR POINTING THAT OUT. JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS TODAY ON THE WORK SESSION. I WENT THROUGH YOUR AGENDA, AND IT TALKS ABOUT PURPOSE OF WORK SESSION, WHICH IS JUST REALLY IS A GOOD SUMMARY OF WHY WE'RE HERE, AND THEN THE REVIEW OF NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS, AND THEN YOU HAVE KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS, AND THEN DIRECTION TO ADMINISTRATION, AND THEN A REAL IMPORTANT AGENDA ITEM IS THE NEXT STEPS. AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION, WHAT I WANT TO BE CAREFUL OF IS PLEASE BE THINKING OF THE POSITION AND NOT THE PERSON OR PERSONS THAT WOULD BE FILLING THAT POSITION. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S EASY TO TALK ABOUT SOMEONE, BUT PLEASE DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GETTING INTO THE VIOLATION OF OPEN MEETINGS LAW, AND WHETHER WE GO INTO A CLOSED SESSION, AND THAT KIND OF THING. THE DISCUSSION, IF YOU KEEP IT FOCUSED ON THE POSITION, WE'RE GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE I'M HOPING YOU'LL HAVE A GOOD DISCUSSION. ALL OF YOU ARE GOOD LEADERS, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY I SAY THAT. IT'S BECAUSE YOU HAVE OPINIONS, AND YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF HOW TO DO THINGS BETTER, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU WORK ALL TOGETHER. YOU HAVE WORKED TOGETHER BEFORE. SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT BE CRITICIZED BECAUSE AS FAMILIES GO, WHEN YOU HAVE A FRANK DISCUSSION WITH FAMILY MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SAYING, WHOA, WAIT A MINUTE. BUT PLEASE, PLEASE TRY TO DO THAT. AND, AND PRESIDENT GEORGE, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU AND THE, AND THE DIRECTORS, IF I SENSE, AND LANCE EMKE, DIRECTOR EMKE COULD PROBABLY RELATE TO THIS, IF I SENSE THAT WE'RE KIND OF GETTING OFF THE PATH, I MIGHT STAND UP JUST TO GET YOUR ATTENTION, AND TO, AND TO DRAW US BACK TOGETHER FOR WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. BUT I'M HOPING ALL OF YOU LOOKED AT THE PURPOSE OF THE WORK SESSION, AND REALLY, REALLY TRY TO GO BY THAT FOR THE NEXT TIME, OR FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS, OR HOUR THAT WE'RE TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU, PRESIDENT GEORGE, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. MARIAM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? OKAY, IF SHE COMES BACK ON, WE WILL COME BACK. KEEP GOING. AGAIN, THE PURPOSE OF THE WORK SESSION IS TO KEEP THE WORK SESSION IN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR STATE OF THE MEETING LAWS, PROVIDE TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC REGARDING A BROAD DISCUSSION, AND CLARIFY THE SESSION IS FOR DISCUSSION, INFORMING, SHARING, AND DIRECT SETTING, DIRECTION, AND GOAL ONLY, AND NO FORMAL ACTION, OF COURSE, WILL BE TAKEN UNLESS THE SESSION IS FOR DISCUSSION. REVIEW OF OUR NORMS, AGAIN, I THINK DAN MOORE SAID THAT, AND I'M SURE MARIAM WILL ECHO THAT AS WELL, RESPECT FOR CIVIL AND PROFESSIONAL, FOCUS ON GOVERNMENT, GOVERNANCE, POLICY, AND DISTRICT-WIDE PRIORITIES, AND ADHERENCE TO THE POSTED AGENDA, AND OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS. I SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I KNOW SOMETIMES WE CAN GET DISTRACTED AND GET OFF ON EACH OTHER ALL THE TIME. MARIAM, ARE YOU COMING THROUGH? KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS, AND I JUST KIND OF WANT TO BRIEFLY JUST KIND OF GO OVER THIS, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THEM. ONE IS INTERIM EMPLOYMENT TIMELINE, HOW QUICK WE WANT TO DO IT. YES, IS MY MIC ON? IS EVERYONE PICKING IT UP? AM I LOUD ENOUGH? [00:05:01] I JUST GOT A TEXT THAT THE VIDEO IS ON. YEAH, I KNOW THAT. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT SEEMS FOR YOU. HERE WE GO. I'LL TRY TO SPEAK MORE DIRECTLY INTO IT. THE KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS, OF COURSE, IS OUR APPOINTMENT TIMELINE. THE NEXT ONE IS INFORMATION PRESENTATION, AND THEN BOARD DISCUSSION, CLARIFYING, IDENTIFYING CONCERNS AND PRIORITIES. I THINK THAT'S SELF-EXPLANATORY. AND THIS IS ALSO, THE AGENDA HAS ALSO BEEN POSTED, SO ANYONE ONLINE WISHES TO LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THEY SURELY CAN. DIRECTION, AND THEN KIND OF GIVE US DIRECTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, KIND OF CONSENSUS ITEMS, INFORMATION, TIMELINE, WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT TIMELINE THINGS COMING, AND I'LL MENTION THOSE AS WE GET CLOSER BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME MAJOR STUFF MOVING THAT STARTS REALLY INTO THIS MONTH. THE NEXT ITEM, NEXT STEPS IS ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON FUTURE AGENDA, THAT IS IF WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO DO. DIRECTION TO THE BOARD TO BRING FORTH NAMES TO BE CONTACTED, THAT'S DOWN THE LINE. BOARD MEMBERS' COMMENTS, THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, THEN WE'LL ADJOURN. SO, MY HOPE IS THAT WE COME OUT OF HERE WITH A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, I'M ALWAYS TOLD THE WORLD DOESN'T STOP BECAUSE WE'RE CONFUSED OR FRUSTRATED. THE WORLD KEEPS MOVING FORWARD, SO WE HAVE TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. I THINK WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. OKAY. JUST, LET'S GET, IS THAT MIRIAM? HEY, MIRIAM. HI, DAN, HOW'S IT GOING? GOOD. IS THERE ANY OPENING COMMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE? DAN MOORE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAUGHT ALL HIS, BUT HE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TALKED ABOUT THE POSITIONS, NOT THE INDIVIDUAL, THAT TYPE OF STUFF. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT? NO, I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS IS A WORK SESSION FOR PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING PROCESS FOR IDENTIFYING AND HIRING AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AND THAT ANY DISCUSSION OF ANY INDIVIDUAL POTENTIAL CANDIDATES OR PERSONNEL WOULD NEED TO BE HELD IN A SEPARATE SESSION. SO, YEAH, IF DAN ALREADY COVERED THAT, THEN I WOULD JUST AGREE WITH AND ECHO HIS COMMENTS. I'M SORRY, I COULD SEE YOU ALL ON TEAMS, BUT I COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING, SO I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT I THINK IF DAN COVERED IT, I DON'T NEED TO SAY IT AGAIN. OKAY, THANK YOU. RIGHT NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE INTERIM APPOINTMENT TIMELINE. I SENT OUT A 45-DAY PROCESS FOR NAMING THE INTERIM. IT WASN'T ANYTHING SPECIAL. IT WASN'T ANYTHING WRITTEN IN CONCRETE. I THINK YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF IT. I PROVIDED ANOTHER BLANK COPY TODAY FOR YOU GUYS TO HAVE THAT JUST SO YOU GUYS HAD SOMETHING TO REFERENCE. I WAS LOOKING FOR GUIDANCE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO CHANGE ON THAT. LIKE I SAID, IT WAS PRETTY MUCH JUST MORE OR LESS A GENERIC TIMELINE JUST TO KIND OF GET THIS BALL ROLLING. I KIND OF WENT THROUGH THINGS THAT I FELT WE HAD ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED. I POINT WHERE USUALLY WE'RE PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN PHASE TWO, BETWEEN STEP THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE. PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE IS TO IDENTIFY THE LENGTH OF INTERIM APPOINTMENT. I SUGGESTED FROM, I BELIEVE, APRIL 1ST TO JUNE OF 27TH. THAT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTACT A SEARCH FIRM, APPROVE OF A SEARCH FIRM, IDENTIFY SOME KEY CONCEPTS WITH THAT SEARCH FIRM SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. AGAIN, I THINK WE'RE... [00:10:01] I THINK ANOTHER THING IS DO WE WANT TO GO THROUGH AN APPOINTMENT OR A SEARCH? GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A SHORT TIMELINE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE HEAVY LIFTING GOING ON, I WOULD THINK THAT AN APPOINTMENT WOULD BE THE QUICKEST WAY. WE DO NOT HAVE TO POST AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE INTERIM. WE DO HAVE TO POST FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S POSITION IN GENERAL, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE TO POST FOR AN INTERIM. MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO, OR MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AND LOOK FOR AN APPOINTMENT. I JUST THOUGHT, DIRECTOR HANSON. I JUST HAD A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED A SEARCH FIRM. IS THAT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT, NOT THE INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M FOLLOWING. WELL, IF WE WOULD CHOOSE TO GO THROUGH A... IF WE WOULD DO THE APPOINTMENT, YOU WOULDN'T NEED A SEARCH FIRM FOR THE INTERIM. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I WAS FOLLOWING. BUT IF YOU WANTED TO GO THROUGH A SEARCH FIRM FOR THE INTERIM, THEN IT GETS MORE COMPLICATED. PROBABLY YOU WOULD GO WITH THE SAME... THAT PHONE TO THE MIC DOWN HERE, AND THEN THAT WAY YOU CAN USE YOUR MIC. THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT. I COULD HOLD IT, BUT THEN I'D CRAMP UP, AND I'VE GOT MUSCLE ISSUES, BAD SHOULDER, THAT TYPE OF STUFF. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I WASN'T MISINTERPRETING, SO THANK YOU. NO, NO, NO. IF WE... LIKE I SAID, IF YOU GUYS WANTED TO DO A SEARCH FIRM FOR AN INTERIM, THEN THE PROCESS GETS MORE LENGTHY, AND MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THAT WOULD NOT DO US WELL. SO, PRESIDENT GEORGE, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, THERE'S THREE MATTERS TO DISCUSS. ONE IS THE TIME FRAME, AND TO COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD WANT FOR THE INTERIM POSITION. TWO, AND SO WHAT I MEAN, YOU PROPOSED APRIL 1ST TO JUNE OF 2027. YEAH. RIGHT? OKAY. BUT IN SHORT, WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A TIME FRAME, IS THE DESIRE FOR THIS MEETING, DETERMINE WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO DO AN INTERIM APPOINTMENT, OR IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN APPLICATION PROCESS, AND THEN THIRD, TALK ABOUT THE PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. CORRECT. IS THAT OKAY? CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT I HANDED YOU GUYS OUT, IT WAS JUST BASICALLY, I THINK, IASB'S DATABASE OF SEARCH FIRMS. THERE'S A LOT MORE OUT THERE. AND I DID, JUST BRIEFLY, I DID HAVE A SESSION, A CALL WITH DAN MOORE AND LANCE EMKE REGARDING OUR PREVIOUS SEARCH FIRM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE AN ACTION ITEM ON THE AGENDA FOR THAT. YES. CAN WE JUST START WITH NUMBER ONE? YEP. AND THAT'S THE TIME FRAME? AND WORK THROUGH THAT? ABSOLUTELY. AND THEN MOVE TO NUMBER TWO? AND THEN MOVE TO THE, AND THEN YOU CAN GIVE US MORE INTEL ABOUT THE CONVERSATION YOU HAD ABOUT THE SEARCH FIRM? YEP. WOULD THAT BE ALL RIGHT? YOU BETCHA. OKAY. SO, THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE CLARIFYING WHAT KIND OF APPLICATION PROCESS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I KNOW LAST TIME, AND I THINK JUST KIND OF STALLED US OUT LAST BOARD MEETING, WHETHER IT'S AN OPEN OR CLOSED APPLICATION PROCESS. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS, IN ONE SENSE, IF YOU WOULD HAVE A CLOSED PROCESS, YOU WOULD NAME THE INTERIM, BUT THAT INTERIM WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S JOB AT THE END OF THEIR INTERIM POSITION. AN OPEN APPLICATION PROCESS WOULD MEAN THAT THE INTERIM WOULD BE ABLE TO, IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO APPLY, FOR THE PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENCY JOB. MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE THE OPEN PROCESS. AND THERE'S ISAB GIVING ME SOME, I GUESS YOU COULD CALL IT PRACTICING MY MERIT, BUT ALL OF THE MERIT HAS ALSO HELPED ME WITH THAT IN SOME WAY. SO, CLARIFICATION. SO, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION, AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE DISCUSSION OF IF THAT POSITION WILL BE AN OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION. NO, THAT'S NOT CORRECT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERIM? I'M NOT TRACKING. OKAY. IT COMES DOWN TO WHOEVER YOU CHOOSE AS AN INTERIM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALLOW THAT PERSON AT THE END OF THEIR INTERIM TIMELINE, [00:15:02] IF THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED TO APPLY FOR THE JOB. SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERIM? THAT'S THE SECOND THING THAT I WAS ASKING FOR CLARITY ON. SO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INTERIM POSITION AND WHETHER THAT INTERIM POSITION WOULD BE OPEN OR CLOSED. TO APPLY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S JOB. RIGHT. BUT WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE INTERIM POSITION. CORRECT. IS IT GOING TO BE APPOINTED? ONE. ARE WE GOING TO OPEN AN APPLICATION PROCESS? AND IS IT GOING TO BE AN OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION? CORRECT. RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M TRACKING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. INTERESTED IN INPUT JUST GENERALLY? YEAH. I'D LIKE TO GET KIND OF A CONSENSUS ON WHICH WAY WE NEED TO GO OR WHICH WAY WE NEED TO LEAN AND THEN WE CAN KIND OF GO FROM THERE. MAY I? YOU BETCHA, DIRECTOR EMKE. JUST SO YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR EMKE IS NOT ELVIS TODAY. NO. YES. IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, SO I WON'T TALK ABOUT ME. I'VE LOOKED AT THE MATERIALS AND THE LIKE AND I'VE MADE SOME CALLS JUST TO SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OTHER PLACES WHERE I KNEW THERE WAS WHAT I CALL A GAP BETWEEN AND NOT AN OVERLAP BETWEEN SUPERINTENDENTS. AND I'LL SAY THAT MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE NOT TO SET AN APRIL 01, THAT TYPE OF THING. MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE AS SOON AS WE CAN GET SOMEONE IN POSITION. IF THAT'S FEBRUARY 15, GREAT. IF THAT'S MARCH 1, GREAT, THAT WE NOT BOX OURSELVES IN, THAT AS SOON AS WE IDENTIFY AN INTERIM WHO CAN SERVE, THAT WE GET THEM IN THE POSITION. AND THAT'S ALSO THE REASON WHY I BELIEVE THAT APPOINTING THE INTERIM IS A USEFUL, FUNCTIONAL WAY TO PROCEED SO THAT IT DOESN'T OVERSHADOW OUR NEXT NEED, WHICH IS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REST OF THE SEARCH FOR SOMEBODY WHO WOULD BE MORE PERMANENT. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY I APPRECIATE THE WISDOM OF YOUR SUGGESTION, PRESIDENT GEORGE, ABOUT A 2027 TENURE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE IT TO BE MORE WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN INTERIM WHO CAN SERVE TO THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AND MAYBE EXTEND ON FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE OUR INTENT ALL ALONG IS TO GET A NEW PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT IN PLACE. SO MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE FRONT DATE IS THE MINUTE WE CAN FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL SERVE AND WHO'S AGREEABLE. AND THEN WE HAVE IT AS MORE OF A SHORT TERM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND IT IF NEEDED, AND THEN WE GET RIGHT TO WORK ON OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, WHICH IS YOUR PART 3. THAT'S MY INPUT AT THIS POINT. I AGREE WITH THE APPOINTMENT PART. THE ONLY REASON WHY I SAID APRIL 1ST TO JUNE 27TH, REGARDLESS OF WHO WE CHOOSE OR APPOINT AS INTERIM, WE CAN'T ISSUE A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT OF ANYTHING UNTIL AFTER MARCH 31ST. AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I SAID FROM JUNE. IF WE WOULD APPOINT ONE IN FEBRUARY, MY GUESS IS WE WOULD PAY A PER DIEM TO THAT INDIVIDUAL UNTIL THE END OF MARCH WHEN WE CAN THEN ISSUE A CONTRACT. WELL, I GUESS I WOULD ASK MIRIAM TO WEIGH IN MAYBE. THE PRIOR SUPERINTENDENT IS GONE. I APPRECIATE THAT MARCH 30 WAS A DATE THAT PERTAINED TO THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT IS A CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT. IT DOES NOT SAY THAT HE'S GOING TO SERVE AS SUPERINTENDENT. HE IS NOT CURRENTLY SERVING. I THINK IF WE HAD AN INTERIM WALK-IN RIGHT NOW AND SAY, THAT PERSON'S PERFECT, WE COULD PUT HIM IN AND WE COULD SAY WE CAN ISSUE YOU AN INTERIM CONTRACT RIGHT NOW, UNLESS MIRIAM SAYS, NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE A DOUBLE. I THINK THIS MARCH 30 IS NOT A WINDOW THAT PREVENTS US FROM GETTING AN INTERIM IN PLACE QUICKER. MIRIAM, DID YOU HEAR THAT? I DID, YEAH. SO UNDER IOWA CODE CHAPTER 279, YOU CANNOT HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT ON A MULTIYEAR CONTRACT IF YOU ARE STILL PAYING OUT THE CONTRACT OF YOUR PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT. SO UNTIL MARCH 31ST, YOU ARE STILL PAYING OUT THE CONTRACT OF YOUR PREVIOUS SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT UNTIL THAT TIME, YOU COULDN'T ISSUE A MULTIYEAR CONTRACT TO AN INTERIM. NOW, YOU COULD ISSUE A CONTRACT TO AN INTERIM FOR WHATEVER DATE, FEBRUARY 15TH, THROUGH MARCH 31ST OR [00:20:04] THROUGH JUNE 30TH, AND THEN ISSUE A NEW CONTRACT AS SOON AFTER MARCH 31ST AS YOU WANTED TO. BUT UNTIL MARCH 31ST, OR REALLY TECHNICALLY UNTIL APRIL 1ST, YOU COULD NOT HAVE A CONTRACT FOR AN INTERIM THAT WOULD SPAN MORE THAN ONE YEAR. BUT IF WE HAD A CONTRACT THAT SAID, LET'S HAVE A CONTRACT THAT HAS A DEFINED INITIAL TERMINATION OF THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND BY MONTHS, THAT WOULDN'T FALL INTO THAT MULTIYEAR CATEGORY, WOULD IT? AND IT WOULD ALLOW US TO APPOINT AN INTERIM FOR A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME AND GET RIGHT ON THE BUSINESS OF LOOKING FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. CORRECT? CORRECT. YEP. LIKE I SAID, YOU COULD DO ANYTHING UNDER A YEAR AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AT ANY TIME. YOU COULD DO ANYTHING UP TO ONE YEAR, BUT UNTIL MARCH 31ST, YOU JUST COULDN'T ISSUE A MULTIYEAR CONTRACT. SO IF THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD WANTED TO SAY, LOOK, WE JUST WANT TO GET SOMEBODY UNDER CONTRACT THROUGH THE END OF THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR, THAT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER MARCH 31ST. BUT YEAH, YOU COULD DO A SHORT-TERM CONTRACT AND THEN HAVE AN OPTION TO EXTEND AS LONG AS THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT DOESN'T GO BEYOND A YEAR. THE OPTION TO EXTEND WOULD NOT VIOLATE ANYTHING. AND WHAT YOU'D DO IS JUST ISSUE A NEW CONTRACT FOR WHATEVER THE DURATION IS AT THAT POINT IN TIME THAT YOU WERE WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. WE CAN'T VOTE, BUT WE CAN KIND OF SAY WITH THE WINDS COMING THIS WAY AND THE SUN AT THIS PLACE AND THE SKY, WE'RE KIND OF FEELING THAT WAY. WELL, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, SOME OF YOU GUYS WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE IN ISSUING BASICALLY A SHORT-TERM CONTRACT. APPOINTING. APPOINTING FOR THE APPOINTMENT. I THINK MAYBE AT LEAST WHAT I'M SAYING AND WHAT I THINK WE'RE THINKING, AS SOON AS WE CAN GET SOMEBODY INTO THE INTERIM, SOMEBODY IN, WE SHOULD DO THAT. HOWEVER THAT WORKS IN TERMS OF WHEN WE INTERVIEW PEOPLE AND WE FOUND SOMEBODY AND WHEN THEY START, THEN WE CAN DECIDE ON THE DETAILS. BUT I THINK WE'RE AGREED THAT IT'S BEST TO FIND SOMEONE FIRST WITH THE IDEA OF PUTTING THEM TO WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. YOU'RE TALKING, CORRECT, MR. MYERS, THE INTERIM? YES. TOTALLY. WE'RE JUST TALKING ON INTERIM. WE'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH THAT. BUT MY UNDERSTANDING IS YOU WANT TO GO TO SHORTER TERM, THINKING THAT POSSIBLY WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO NAME AND GO THROUGH A SEARCH PROCESS AND NAME A SUPERINTENDENT SOONER THAN JUNE OF 27. IS THAT CORRECT? IF WE HAD SOMEBODY THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO START MARCH 1ST, JUST PICK A DATE, THEN WE MIGHT HAVE A SHORT-TERM AND THEN A LONG-TERM, BUT WE'LL LET THE LAWYERS DEAL WITH THAT. PROCESSING THIS, WOULD THAT NOT BE CIRCUMVENTING THE COMMUNITY'S ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT IF WE WERE TO TRY TO RUN A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH IN A FIVE MONTH PERIOD? THIS IS JUST AN INTERIM. WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT ONE TOPIC AT A TIME, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE KEEP GETTING MIXED UP, PRESIDENT GEORGE. IT'S THREE TOPICS UNDER A, WHICH IS INTERIM APPOINTMENT TIMELINE, OPEN OR CLOSED, AND THEN APPOINTMENT OR SEARCH. SO WE'VE HEARD THE APPOINTMENT TIMELINE. I THINK THAT WHAT I SEE IN NODDING, MOST OF US WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT FOR ASAP THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026. AND WE CAN DO THAT NOW. IT DOESN'T VIOLATE ANY STATE LAWS. WE CAN ONLY HAVE ONE NAMED SUPERINTENDENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND IT WOULD BE THAT PERSON FOR THAT TIME PERIOD. SO THAT WOULD BE THE TIMELINE FROM WHAT I'M SEEING PEOPLE NOD TO. THAT WOULD BE THE PREFERENCE OF YES. OKAY. SO THEN APPOINTMENT OR SEARCH, I THINK EVERYBODY HAS PRETTY MUCH SAID APPOINTMENT WORKS BECAUSE WE CAN DO THAT FASTER THAN A SEARCH, [00:25:02] AND WHY DO WE WANT TO PAY A SEARCH FIRM WHEN THEY HAVEN'T BEEN SO PRODUCTIVE FOR LOTS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS? FOR AN INTERIM POSITION THAT WE WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN NOW VERSUS LATER. AND THEN FOR OPEN OR CLOSED, I'M STILL IN FAVOR OF CLOSED APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT YET, AND THIS IS FOR THE INTERIM POSITION. THAT IS SECTION A UNDER KEY DISCUSSION TOPICS. OKAY. DIRECTOR HANSON. I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF CLARIFYING QUESTIONS. I'M FULLY IN AGREEMENT WITH WHAT WAS DISCUSSED FOR TIMELINE OF SOMEONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2026 AND THEN REVISIT AS NEEDED. A QUESTION ON APPOINTMENT OR SEARCH, AND I'M SORRY, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT IN THE WEEDS, AND THIS IS MY HR HAT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TALKING THAT AN APPOINTMENT HAS A SEARCH ELEMENT. IT'S JUST NOT AN EXTERNAL SEARCH. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, A DISCUSSION OR SOMETHING BEFORE THAT PERSON IS APPOINTED. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF I'M UNDERSTANDING OR NOT UNDERSTANDING, AND IT'S NOT A PREFERENCE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. I'M JUST SEEKING UNDERSTANDING. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE START WITH INTERVIEWING PEOPLE ON STAFF WHO HAPPEN TO HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT'S LICENSE. NOW WE'RE GOING TO THE WHO. AND ARE INTERESTED. LET'S GO BACK TO SECTION A. WHAT KIND OF A PROCESS DO WE WANT? WHETHER IT BE OPEN OR CLOSED. CLOSED WOULD MEAN, OF COURSE, THAT PERSON WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE FULL TIME JOB. AND I'LL JUST OFFER SOME BACKGROUND ON THAT FOR YOU ALL, BECAUSE IN REFLECTION, I DID NOT PROVIDE THIS BEFORE. THAT'S A QUESTION I ASK ON EVERY BOARD THAT I'M ON WHEN THERE'S AN OPENING. SO IT'S NOTHING THAT WAS UNIQUE TO A QUESTION THAT I BRING HERE. I BROUGHT THAT TO OTHER BOARDS THAT I'VE SERVED ON BEFORE. WHEN THERE'S A LEADERSHIP CHANGE IS WHEN WE'RE SEARCHING FOR AN INTERIM. WHAT IS THE EXPECTATION? IS THE EXPECTATION THAT PERSON IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY FOR THE PERMANENT POSITION OR NOT? AND SO I JUST WANT TO PROVIDE THAT EXPLANATION OR BACKGROUND THAT THAT'S TRULY. AND YOU CAN ASK PEOPLE WHO'VE SERVED ON BOARDS WITH ME ELSEWHERE. I ASK THAT EVERYWHERE I GO JUST FOR CLARITY. AND AS WE ENTER THE PROCESS. APPLICATION PROCESS. WE NOW HAVE TO DETERMINE. LET ME MAYBE IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR EACH OF US TO JUST RUN THROUGH HOW WE WOULD LIKE THIS TO TURN OUT. AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH IS JUST INDIVIDUALLY. MAYBE WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AT THE END OF THIS. RIGHT. SO IF WE WERE JUST TO STATE. I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN APPOINTMENT OR NOT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE INTERNAL EXTERNAL OR NOT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE OPEN OR CLOSED OR NOT. AND IF YOU CAN STATE THE REASONS WHY AS YOU GO THROUGH JUST MAYBE THIS MEETING IS OVER IN FIVE MINUTES. RIGHT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SUGGESTING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S OK OR NOT. I'D BE HAPPY TO GO FIRST IF YOU WANT. FIRE AWAY. ALL RIGHT. WHAT I WOULD LIKE IS AN INTERIM AS SOON AS WE CAN. IF WE COULD HAVE AN INTERIM NEXT WEEK OR EVEN THIS WEEK. I WOULD WANT TO HAVE AN INTERIM. THAT IS WHY I'M SAYING THE INTERIM SHOULD BE APPOINTED. I THEN THINK THAT WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THIS IS OTHER DISTRICT FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS AND OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE TOLD ME BECAUSE I SAY, WELL, WHERE DO YOU GO TO FIND AN INTERIM? AND THEY SAID, WELL, TYPICALLY IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE SOMEONE WITH SUPERINTENDENT CREDENTIALS ON STAFF WHO IS WILLING TO DO IT OR WANTS TO, THEN YOU GO TO THE AEA. AND THEY USUALLY HAVE, I HATE TO CALL IT A STABLE, BUT THEY HAVE A NUMBER OF RECENTLY RETIRED OR PEOPLE BETWEEN JOBS THAT YOU WOULD NEXT ASK. AND WHAT I WAS TOLD IS IF YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE GO TO THE IOWA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION AND GET HELP, WHICH IS A QUESTION I ASKED, WAS DO THIS FIRST, GO TO THE AEA NEXT, AND THEN THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION CAN HELP YOU OUT FURTHER WITH REGARD TO AN INTERIM, PARTICULARLY A SHORT-TERM INTERIM. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS LOOK AT THOSE OPTIONS. I'M TOLD THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO WHO WOULD QUALIFY FOR A SHORT-TERM INTERIM THAT ARE AT THE AEA HERE IN SIOUX CITY. AND THEN WE MOVE ON NOW. [00:30:02] WE DON'T WAIT. WE MOVE ON NOW WITH THE SEARCH PROCESS FOR A PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENT. SO I'D APPOINT SHORT-TERM. AND YOU SAID OPEN OR NOT OR CLOSED. UNDER THAT ARRANGEMENT, THAT SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENT WHERE WE'RE STARTING THE PROCESS FOR THE PERMANENT SEARCH FOR NOW, I WOULD SAY OPEN IS OKAY. I WOULD AGREE. I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING TO ARGUE ABOUT. SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. I KNOW THE AEA AT TIMES HAS STEPPED IN TO MANAGE DISTRICTS, AND I THINK SIGOURNEY, I THINK, IS GETTING IN AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THEIR- GRAND HILLS DOWN THERE, SIGOURNEY, IOWA, SOUTH UTAH. I DON'T KNOW. THEY'RE GOING TO STEP IN AND DO THEIR RESEARCH. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL SUPERINTENDENTS AROUND THE AREA THAT HAVE RECENTLY RETIRED. DEPENDING UPON INTERIM OR EXTERNAL, WHATEVER, I MEAN, I WOULD- I FEEL KEEPING IT AN OPEN PROCESS. THAT'S MY PREFERENCE. DIRECTOR MICHAELS. OKAY. WHAT I'M-HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING, AND HERE ARE THE REASONS WHY. ONE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE AN APPOINTMENT. TWO, I THINK IT SHOULD BE A 15-MONTH DEAL, AND HERE'S WHY. IF WE TRY TO DO THIS IN THREE MONTHS AND GET A SUPERINTENDENT BASICALLY OVER THE SUMMERTIME, THE POOL IS GOING TO BE REALLY SHALLOW. WE'VE GOT TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE GOT 12 DIFFERENT OPENINGS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS IN IOWA RIGHT NOW. FOR US TO APPOINT SOMEBODY FOR THREE MONTHS AND THEN TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S-I DON'T THINK THAT'S AS GOOD AS A COIN FLIP. ALSO, WITH-FOR INTERNAL, AND HERE'S WHY. WE'VE GOT, I THINK, MAYBE IN THE NEXT MONTH, WE'VE GOT BARGAINING TO WORRY ABOUT. WE HAVE BUDGETING GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND SO SOMEBODY WHO IS INTERNAL IS LIKELY TO- WELL, IS, I THINK, GOING TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN BRINGING SOMEBODY IN FROM THE OUTSIDE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A BACKGROUND IN WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AROUND HERE. AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD BE FOR, SO, AN APPOINTMENT OF SOMEBODY INTERNAL FOR A 15-MONTH PERIOD BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF THE SHALLOW SUPERINTENDENT POOL. AND THEN FINALLY, I WOULD WANT THAT OPEN, AND I WOULD WANT IT OPEN BECAUSE IF WHOEVER WE HAVE DOING IT INTERNALLY DOES A GREAT JOB, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO ELIMINATE THEM FROM THE POSSIBILITY OF BECOMING FULL-TIME. SO I THINK WE'VE COVERED ITEM A, WHICH IS THE OPEN OR CLOSED APPLICATION PROCESS, APPOINTMENT OR SEARCH. I THINK WE'VE PRETTY MUCH DISCUSSED THAT WITH THE APPOINTMENT. I THINK WHETHER IT'S A SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM, I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN OPINIONS ON THAT. SO WE COULD PROBABLY DROP DOWN TO ITEM-I THINK YOU GUYS ARE OKAY WITH THE 45- LIKE I SAID, I JUST PUT THE 45 DAYS DEAL BECAUSE I WAS ANTICIPATING AT THAT TIME, GET TO THE END OF MARCH, THEN WE ISSUE A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT. THAT WAS MY TUNNEL VISION IDEA ON THAT. SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CONCERNS OR PRIORITIES, I THINK ONE CONCERN OF JUST A SHORT-TERM PROCESS TO TRY TO NAME THE INTERIM AND THEN GET GOING ON A BIG SEARCH FOR THE PERMANENT SUPERINTENDENCY, BECAUSE I LIKE TO GO HUNTING, WE ARE PAST THE SEASON, REALLY, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. WE WOULD BE LATE TO THE GAME TO START GETTING OUR DISTRICT'S WANTS AND NEEDS AND DO ALL THE PREP WORK THAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE COMMUNITIES, BY THE STAFF, BY THE BUSINESSES, BY THE STUDENTS OF SIOUX CITY. THAT'S WHY I STILL LIKE THE IDEA OF GOING UNTIL JUNE OF 27. BUT SINCE THIS IS A GOVERNANCE-ISH PROCESS, IF THE MAJORITY PREFERENCE WAS TO SHORTEN IT UP, WE COULD RUN THAT. BUT THEN AGAIN, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER UEN SCHOOL ALREADY LOOKING FOR A SUPERINTENDENT. COUNCIL BLUFF'S SUPERINTENDENCY IS NOW VACANT, SO THEY'RE [00:35:01] PROBABLY ASKING THE SAME QUESTION, DO WE DO AN INTERIM RIGHT NOW? THEY'VE GOT PEOPLE DOWN THERE AS WELL. BUT, I MEAN, THAT'S TWO UEN SCHOOLS OF OUR SIZE THAT ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR PROBABLY THE SAME TYPE OF CANDIDATE. SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEIR PROCESS IS GOING TO BE. DIRECTOR MILLER. SO I'M CONFUSED WHY WE CAN'T COMPREHEND THAT IF WE DO A SHORT-TERM THROUGH THE END OF JUNE THIS YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT WE COULD START NOW, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RENEW THAT. SO IF WE DON'T SELECT SOMEBODY IN THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, WE CAN RENEW THAT INTERIM. SO IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM DOING A SEARCH. IT DOESN'T STOP US FROM GOING UNTIL JUNE 2026, THE END OF JUNE 2027, SORRY, WITH AN INTERIM IF THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS. AND SO IF WE JUST TAKE IT PIECES AT A TIME, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN INTERIM NOW. WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE AN INTERIM UNTIL JULY 01, 2027. AT THIS MOMENT, WE MAY, BUT THEN WE EXTEND THE CONTRACT, JUST AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS WHAT THE STATE TOLD ME, WHICH IS WHAT MIRIAM TOLD US, THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RENEW THAT PERSON. SO INSTEAD OF PUTTING HANDCUFFS ON US TO SAY THIS IS YOUR BOX AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GO OUTSIDE YOUR BOX BECAUSE THE POOL MAY BE LIMITED OR IT MAY NOT BE LIMITED AND WE MAY GET THE RIGHT CANDIDATE, WHY WOULD WE WANT TO PREVENT OURSELVES FROM BEING ABLE TO FIND A CANDIDATE NOW IF ONE IS AVAILABLE THAT WE WANT? AND AGAIN, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO RENEW IF THE END OF JUNE WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY FULL-TIME PERMANENT AS A SUPERINTENDENT. MY CONCERN, AND I'LL JUST, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF, MY CONCERN WOULD BE IF YOU'RE AN INTERIM AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT TAKING A POSITION AND YOU'RE NOT, DO YOU WANT TO, I GUESS THE SHORTNESS OF THE APPOINTMENT WOULD MAYBE CAUSE WHETHER OR NOT I WANTED TO APPLY FOR THE INTERIM POSITION. WELL, JUST I HEAR, I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TOO, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN I HEARD IF YOUR FIRST STEP REALLY OUTSIDE OF INTERNAL IS TO LOOK AT THE AEA, AND IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE LICENSURE, THE AEA THEN PROVIDES THAT INTERIM TO HELP YOU GET THROUGH A SHORT WINDOW AND YOU GET BUSY ON FINDING YOUR SUPERINTENDENT. I HEAR ABOUT IS THE FISHING GOOD NOW, IS THE FISH, AND ALL THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT IS AN ANALOGY. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S A COMPLETE ANALOGY. I CAN APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN SEASON, OUT OF SEASON, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD GET, AND I THINK THAT DIRECTOR MILLER IS RIGHT. MIGHT AS WELL START FISHING IN SEA, AND IF IT DOESN'T TURN OUT, THEN YOU ALWAYS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXTEND FURTHER. BUT I WOULD ENVISION THAT WE WOULD PICK WHAT ONE OF, I UNDERSTAND THERE'S TWO OR MAYBE THREE THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE AT THE AEA NOW, AND THAT WE JUST GET ON WITH PICKING ONE. I MEAN, WE CAN SAY, OKAY, IF THERE'S ANYBODY INTERNAL WHO HAS THEIR LICENSURE AND THEY WANT TO APPLY ON INTERNAL, THEN LET'S PLEASE DO THAT IN A WEEK. AND THEN WE CAN ALSO AT THAT SAME TIME MAYBE INTERVIEW THE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE AT THE AEA, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T DO THOSE STEPS FIRST, YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING FURTHER. AND FURTHER TO ME MEANT ASKING THE IOWA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION TO HELP US OUT. SO I THINK THAT'S WHY I LIKE THE SHORTER TERM. I ALSO THINK THE SHORTER TERM ELIMINATES THE PROBLEM OF CLOSED VERSUS OPEN, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE AN INTERIM AND KNOWN TO BE AN INTERIM FOR A SHORT TERM, NOBODY'S GOING TO SAY, WELL, NOBODY'S GOING TO TURN ON A DIME THAT QUICK. THEY'RE REALIZING THAT YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN HELP KEEP THE TRAIN RUNNING ON TIME, BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY TAKING OFF WITH A NEW VISION THAT MIGHT NOT BE A VISION THAT I'D WANT OR SO FORTH. I THINK WE'VE GOT TO GET ON WITH MAYBE A WEEK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY INTERNAL WHO WANTS TO MAKE THAT APPLICATION AND THEN GET ON WITH TALKING TO THE AEA CANDIDATES WHO THE IOWA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION WOULD WANT US TO DO FIRST ANYWAY. AND IF THAT SOLVES THE PROBLEM, WE'VE GOT IT SOLVED. AND WE CAN THEN GO FORWARD RIGHT AWAY WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND THESE ELEMENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAY WORK. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT DIRECTOR MICHELSON HAS SAID, AND YOU HAVE AS WELL, PRESIDENT GEORGE, THAT THERE'S A PRIMO TIME AND THERE'S A NOT AS MUCH PRIMO TIME IN MOST EVERYTHING IN LIFE, WHETHER YOU'RE TRYING TO GET A NEW ACCOUNTANT OR A NEW ATTORNEY IN YOUR FIRM OR WHATEVER, THERE'S PREFERRED TIMES. AND THEN THERE ALWAYS ARE CANDIDATES, AND SO I'M SAYING, I'M STILL REMEMBERING WE HAD 14 THAT WE NARROWED DOWN TO TWO. I'M NOT SURE ALL OF THEM AREN'T STILL IN THE POOL TO BE FISHED FOR, AND SO I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO RUN OUT OF VERY DESIRABLE CHOICES, [00:40:03] AND I WOULD JUST LIKE US TO MOVE ALONG. AND IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, PRESIDENT GEORGE. WE HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING THAT GOES ON IN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND EDUCATION WORK THAT'S COMING UP, AND IF WE CAN GET SOMEONE IN SHORTLY, THEN WE'LL GET ON WITH THAT. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL MOVE ON WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. NOW I'LL BE QUIET FOR A WHILE. I'LL LISTEN TO EVERYBODY ELSE. JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT'S CONCERNED ABOUT THE SHORTNESS OF IT AND THE LACK OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH US? I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE TEND TO GET CRITICIZED FOR. YOU MEAN ON THE INTERIM OR THE SUPERINTENDENT? IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS ON A PERMANENT SEARCH? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO TIE THEM BOTH TOGETHER. NOT SO MUCH ON THE INTERIM AS ON THE APPOINTMENT, BUT THE LENGTH OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH ITSELF BEING COMPRESSED FROM A 15-MONTH PROCESS TO A FIVE-MONTH FORM. AND I GET IT, YOU COULD EXTEND THE INTERIM, BUT YOU'RE ALSO HOLDING SOMEONE IN CHECK. DIRECTOR HANSON. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR GEORGE. I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, SO IF I GO OFF AND I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, PLEASE PULL ME BACK, OKAY? I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AS WELL, AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO LOOK THE SAME AS IT DID LAST TIME. AND FOR ME THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE ALL OF THAT PRELIMINARY WORK, THE SURVEYING, CREATING THE PROFILE WAS DONE RECENTLY ENOUGH. NOT THAT MUCH HAS CHANGED. NOW, IF WE BRING CANDIDATES TO THE COMMUNITY, I THINK HAVING COMMUNITY FORUMS IS A PIECE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE, THAT WE WANT TO KEEP IN THERE. BUT I DON'T THINK BECAUSE WE HAD SUCH A SHORT TENURE OF THE LAST SUPERINTENDENT THAT WE HAVE TO DO THE FULL 15-MONTH SEARCH PROCESS. I THINK THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT CAN BE REUSED FROM THE LAST ONE AS FAR AS THE PROFILE AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE A LITTLE MORE QUICKLY TO SEE IF ANY OF THOSE FISH ARE GOING TO BITE AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN TIME FRAME IN THERE. AND I THINK THAT'S, I WOULD AGREE THAT HAVING AN OPEN-ENDED OPTION FOR THAT AND NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON HAS TO BE, OR AN INTERIM HAS TO BE THERE UNTIL 2027 PROVIDES US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO ADJUST THAT TIMELINE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND IT'S PROBABLY JUST GOING TO BE ON A DIFFERENT TIMELINE THAN IT WAS THE LAST TIME WE HAD A SEARCH. THAT'S MY THOUGHT. DIRECTOR MICHELSON. THE DEAL WITH THE, MY TREPIDATION WITH THE THREE-MONTH THING IS THEY'LL BE GONE BEFORE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. AND I WOULD THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT JUST MAKES MORE SENSE FOR THAT. I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, EARL. I GET IT. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, THAT PERSON CAN SIGN ON FOR THE NEXT 12 MONTHS IF WE CAN'T FIND ANYBODY. BUT TO HIRE SOMEBODY FOR 90 DAYS AND THEN POSSIBLY BE GOING BACK THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS AGAIN FOR ANOTHER INTERIM AS OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING, YOU KNOW, KEEPING SOME CONTINUITY WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING, KEEPING SOME STABILITY AND SOME LEVEL OF CERTAINTY I THINK IS IMPORTANT. AND EVEN IF WE HAVE THAT OPTION AT THE END OF THREE MONTHS, WE DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT LITTLE BIT OF SAFETY NET, OR I GUESS YOU WOULD CALL IT, FOR A 15-MONTH PERIOD. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT MAKES SENSE TO ME. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE YOU HAVE IT. I THINK THAT COULD BE A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK INTERIM CANDIDATES BEFORE WE APPOINT IS WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO EXTENDING BEYOND THE END OF THIS YEAR WOULD YOU BE AVAILABLE IF THAT BECAME NECESSARY? BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU DON'T WANT TO PIN SOMEBODY INTO THREE MONTHS ONLY. I DON'T WANT TO PIN SOMEBODY INTO HAVING TO BE 15 MONTHS EITHER. AND PART OF THAT IS I THINK THAT'S THE JOB MARKET ANYWHERE A LITTLE BIT. I THINK IF YOU GO TO A RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT, THEY'RE 15 MONTHS. I THINK THEY'RE MORE LIKELY THEY'RE OKAY WITH A 15-MONTH DEAL THAN A THREE-MONTH DEAL. DEPENDING UPON WHO YOU PICK. [00:45:02] THEY KNOW THE PROCESS. THEY KNOW THE EDUCATIONAL TIMELINE OF IOWA. LIKE I SAID, WE'RE GETTING INTO THAT TIMELINE NOW WHERE WE HAVE NEGOTIATIONS. THAT'S WHY I ADVOCATE FOR LOCKING SOMEONE IN TO A 15-MONTH PROCESS REGARDLESS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT CONSISTENCY AND CONTINUITY. BECAUSE YOU COULD GO IN AND SAY YOU DON'T CHOOSE A RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT AND YOU GET TO JUNE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW WE HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH WHETHER OR NOT WE DON'T HAVE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. THAT'S MY CONCERN. I'M LOOKING FOR THE CONSISTENCY OF THE DISTRICT, JUST MORE STABLE. I THINK THE STAFF WOULD BREATHE A LITTLE BIT MORE SIDEWAYS. I WOULD BREATHE A LOT MORE SIDEWAYS. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I CONCERN. IF WE SHORTEN IT TOO MUCH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT STATUS. I COULD BE WRONG. PRESIDENT GEORGE, I KNOW THAT IN THIS 45-DAY PROCESS OF NAMING AN INTERIM, THE SUGGESTED TIMELINE WAS THREE TO NINE MONTHS ON HERE. BUT I ALSO DO KNOW THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT SOMEONE IN THAT INTERIM POSITION. IT'S AN URGENCY. ABSOLUTELY. TO GO BACK TO THE QUESTION, FOR ME, THE IMMEDIATE NEED IS DEFINITELY A PRIORITY. THE TIMELINE, BASED OFF OF WHAT I'VE HEARD AND BASED OFF OF YOUR 45-DAY PROCESS, THERE WAS A THREE TO NINE-MONTH SUGGESTION HERE THAT WAS IN RED INITIALLY. YEAH. OKAY. I DO THINK THAT, AGAIN, WE NEED TO GO BACK TO WHAT KIND OF TIMEFRAME WE'RE LOOKING AT. IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT, THEN WE NEED TO APPOINT. IF WE HAVE TO APPOINT ON THE BASIS OF ALL OF THE URGENCIES THAT WERE BROUGHT FORTH, THESE CONSIDERATIONS, AS INDICATED IN THIS TIMESHEET, THAT WE LOOK AT NEGOTIATIONS AND – WELL, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE. I'M SORRY. I MISSED IT. IF WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THOSE ITEMS, THEN GETTING US FROM APRIL 1 TO JUNE COULD BE VIABLE, AND WE COULD REASSESS IN THAT TIME PERIOD WHETHER WE NEED TO EXTEND THAT BASED OFF OF THE APPOINTMENT THAT WE MAKE AND THEIR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE LONGER THAN THAT TIME PERIOD. SO MY CONCERN IS THAT WE FIND AN IMMEDIATE PERSON, AND IN THAT CONCERN WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER THAT IS TO GET US THROUGH THESE TIMES WHERE THE NEED IS ESSENTIAL, REASSESS, AND MOVE FORWARD, OR DO WE LOOK AT DOING A LONGER CONTRACT WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL? BECAUSE WHOEVER WE APPOINT MAY NOT EVEN WANT TO BE HERE THAT LONG. THAT COULD BE ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, YEAH. RIGHT. SO THAT COULD BE A QUESTION THAT COULD BE PROPOSED. SO I THINK THAT WE ALL AGREE THAT THE URGENCY TO HAVE AN INTERIM AND TO APPOINT AT THIS TIME IS VITAL, IS WHAT I'VE HEARD. WE JUST HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WANT TO DO THIS SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM. AND MAYBE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, WE START FOR A SHORT-TERM JUST TO GET US MOVING, AND THEN IN THAT SHORT-TERM PERIOD WE REASSESS AND EXTEND IT AND HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. SOMETHING AS YOU WERE TALKING, DIRECTOR LEE, THAT CROSSED MY MIND WAS, LET'S SAY YOU GO FOR [00:50:02] A RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT SOMEWHERE. ARE THEY GOING TO WANT TO? THAT'S THE QUESTION. THAT'S MY CONCERN. BUT IF THEY'RE ALREADY AT THE AAA, IN MY HEAD IT'S LIKE THE AAA DOES HAVE AN OBLIGATION HERE, AND IF THEY'RE ALREADY THERE, I THINK THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE TO RELOCATE TO DO THE JOB. I THINK JOHN'S TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION. SORRY. I KNOW, I'M JUST OFF ON THE EDGE. I SUGGEST THAT MAYBE WE START WITH INTERVIEWING THE INTERNAL CANDIDATES AND IDENTIFYING THOSE AND DECIDING WHETHER THOSE INTERNAL CANDIDATES WOULD BE SUITABLE. HOW ARE WE GOING TO THE WHO? I'M NOT GOING TO THE WHO. I'M GOING TO THE PROCESS. STEP ONE WOULD BE LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE. IF WE IDENTIFY SOMEONE THERE, THEN WE CAN GO FORWARD. IF NOT, THEN I THINK WE'RE TYING OURSELVES WITH TOO MUCH SPECULATION ON A FUTURE WE DON'T KNOW. I WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT WITH THE INTERNAL CANDIDATES, TELL THEM THAT SHOULD THEY DECIDE THAT THEY DON'T WANT, AFTER EXPERIENCING THE JOYS OF SUPERINTENDENCY, THEY DON'T WANT IT SO THEY COULD GO BACK TO THE POSITION THAT THEY HELD WITHOUT NO HARM, NO FOUL. SO IF I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU NEED TO LET ME KNOW THAT ANYONE WHO IS QUALIFIED INTERNALLY OR EXTERNALLY SHOULD NOTIFY ME. AND THEN WE, THE BOARD, WILL INTERVIEW AND MAKE A DECISION ON WHO WE ARE APPOINTING. AND BY STATE LAW, WE CAN'T GO WITH A CONTRACT FROM TODAY THROUGH JUNE 2027. SO WE WOULD START WITH AN INTERIM SHORT-TERM CONTRACT AND LOOKING TO EXTEND THAT IF WE NEED TO EXTEND THAT. AND I WOULD INCLUDE ANYONE FROM THE AEA THAT MIGHT BE IN THE POOL INSTEAD OF JUST INTERNAL. BUT TO ME, THE LOCAL WOULD BE US AND AEA, BECAUSE THEY APPEAR TO BE THE FIRST STEPS BEFORE WE CAN REALLY GET HELP FROM ANYBODY ELSE. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE AEA DEAL, BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED. HELP ME ON THIS. ARE YOU SAYING AEA HAS A POOL OF RETIRED SUPERINTENDENTS? OR ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S SUPERINTENDENTS THAT WORK FOR THE AEA? I THINK IT'S EITHER ASSOCIATED, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S... THEY HAVE TO HAVE, I KNOW THE HEAD GUY HAS TO HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT. YEAH, IT WOULD NOT BE THE DIRECTOR OR SOMEONE WHO'S CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GET TO POACH ONE OF THEIR PEOPLE WHO'S ALREADY ENGAGED. BUT THEY HAVE AREA PEOPLE WHO HAVE EITHER WORKED WITH THEM OR WHATEVER, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU GOT TO TICK THIS OFF AND TICK THAT OFF, AND THEN YOU CAN LOOK FURTHER IF YOU NEED TO. BUT I AGREE WITH THE PROCESS THAT JOHN ARTICULATED SO WELL, WHICH WAS LET'S GET ON WITH THOSE INTERVIEWS AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL MAKE TIME THIS WEEK TO DO IT. SO SHANICE, ONE, I SUPPOSE LET'S PUT A STATEMENT OUT THERE FOR ANYONE WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT. LET'S JUST PUT A STATEMENT OUT THERE THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN INTERIM, WHETHER YOU'RE INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL. WE'LL LOOK AT YOU IF YOU'RE QUALIFIED. AND THEN, SORRY, PRESIDENT GEORGE, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, OUR CURRENT LOCAL AEA CURRENTLY HAS THREE PEOPLE THAT ARE LICENSED TO BE SUPERINTENDENTS. THERE ARE RETIRED PEOPLE THAT COULD ALSO BE CONTRACTED THROUGH THE AEA BECAUSE FILLING SHORT-TERM SUPERINTENDENT IS ONE OF THE SERVICES THAT THE AEA PROVIDES. I KNOW SIGURD IS DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I THINK WE'VE GOT A PLAN. I THINK WE HAVE A PLAN. AS A POINT, AS SOON AS WE CAN, GET NAMES, CONTACT THEM. WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND. [00:55:03] THAT'S THE PREFERENCE I'M SEEING. JAN? DIRECTOR MICHELSON. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A CLOSED SESSION JUST BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I THINK ALL OF US MIGHT LIKE TO SHARE, BUT WE CAN'T SHARE THEM IN THIS FORUM. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE. IT WOULD JUST BE ABOUT WHAT WE'VE GOT GOING HERE IN THE PROCESS. A CLOSED SESSION, WOULD THAT? DIRECTOR MICHELSON, BUT I THINK YOU'D NEED TO GET THE PERMISSION OF THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS BECAUSE IT WOULD GO TO THE... AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MESS UP ANYTHING LEGALLY FOR YOU GUYS, BUT I DO HAVE, WITHOUT STEPPING OUT OF BOUNDS HERE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT THAT I SHARE. IF I MAY COMMENT ON WHAT DIRECTOR MICHELSON IS SAYING. I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE IN THE DETAIL BECAUSE I'M NOT A SPECIALIST IN THIS, AND MIRIAM MAY KNOW THE ANSWER RIGHT OFF THE TOP, BUT I THINK THE ABILITY TO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION ON THIS PARTICULAR TOPIC... DIRECTOR ANSKE, JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT MIRIAM HAD A HARD STOP AT 445. OH, OKAY. BUT IN ANY EVENT, I THINK THERE'S A SEPARATE PROVISION WHEN YOU'RE INTERVIEWING FOR SUPERINTENDENTS. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE... YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A PERSON. YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO ABOUT A PARTICULAR STAGE OF THE PROCESS OR SOMETHING. IT SHOULD BE RIGHT IN THE STATUTE, DAN, AND IT SHOULD BE VERY EASY TO SEE. THAT MIGHT BE AN OPEN SESSION. I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH MIRIAM ABOUT THAT BECAUSE SHE MIGHT KNOW BETTER AND MIGHT KNOW WHAT STATUTE YOU MIGHT BE REFERRING TO, BUT I THINK THAT MIGHT BE AN OPEN SESSION. DIRECTOR MICHELSON, WE'LL CLARIFY THAT BEFORE. THE ITEMS THEY SAY, EXEMPTIONS TO THE OPEN SESSION THAT YOU CAN HAVE A CLOSED MEETING ABOUT, AND THEN THEY HAVE LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, AND ALTHOUGH WHEN IT'S ABOUT A PERSONNEL MATTER AND A PARTICULAR PERSON, YOU NEED THEIR PERMISSION, BUT ON ONE OF THE OTHER POINTS WHEN IT'S ABOUT GENERAL, YOU KNOW, LOOKING FOR A SUPERINTENDENT, AND I THINK I FEEL THAT WAY IN PART BECAUSE WE DID HAVE CLOSED SESSIONS ABOUT OUR LAST SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND IT WASN'T ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR PERSON, SO WE DIDN'T NEED INDIVIDUALS' ATTENTION. BUT THAT'S JUST MY INTERPRETATION. I'LL LET YOU VISIT WITH MIRIAM, BUT I THINK WE CAN GO FORWARD, I WOULD HOPE. BUT I AGREE WITH DIRECTOR MICHELSON. I, TOO, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OR HEAR CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY KNOW ABOUT THAT THE REST OF US DON'T. DAN, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU COULD LOOK INTO WITH MIRIAM AND FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE IT. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE LAST SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH WE HAD. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WERE CLOSED SESSIONS OR IF THEY WERE EXEMPT SESSIONS WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER WITH THE RECRUITERS. MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXEMPT, I THINK, YEAH. OR WE TALKED ABOUT CONCERNS OF WHAT WE WANTED, WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT. THAT WOULD BE. ANY OTHER? I THINK THIS WAS A PRODUCTIVE SESSION. I THINK THAT WE'LL START MOVING FORWARD. OBJECTION, BOARD MEMBER. DO YOU HAVE ANY REFLECTION OR ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATION THAT DIRECTOR MICHELSON GAVE HERE? YES. I GUESS MY ACTIVE CONSIDERATION IS TO ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE, TO REALLY TAKE A LONG AND HARD ON THE RELATIONSHIP WITH MIRIAM. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, CONCERNS? OKAY. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.