Accessible, collaborative, communicative, honest, and inclusive.
Those are some of the characteristics Hamdenites said they hope will describe the individual selected to serve as the district’s next superintendent of schools.
The town’s Board of Education (BOE) is in the early stages of a nationwide search to replace Superintendent Jody Goeler, who formally retired back in January but has since stayed on in an interim capacity in lieu of an alternative leader.
The BOE set aside $16,000 in the early spring to hire consultants from the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) to assist with the search.
It is unclear at this time how involved, expensive, and lengthy the hiring process will be, according to BOE President Melissa Kaplan. She noted that Assistant Superintendent Chris Melillo, a presumed top candidate for the position, was quickly counted out of consideration as he took an offer to serve as Newtown’s new superintendent before getting a chance to even apply for the Hamden promotion.
As the board figures out the future of the district with two of the district’s lead administrators set to move out of Central Office, members are seeking public feedback to help guide the way. Over the course of the past few months, CABE consultants have been working to assess what kind of person the community believes would be best suited to better local education within Hamden.
Throughout May and June, 58 people connected to Hamden schools (including five Board of Education members, nine administrators, 14 teachers, 19 parents, five of the town’s elected legislative officials, and six “collaborators,” including representatives of neighboring higher education institutions) offered opinions through at least 13 focus group sessions. Another 223 community members (101 parents, 26 students, 13 general Hamden residents, eight administrators, 100 teachers, 10 school staffers, two BOE reps, five town officials and staff, and three “town business leaders”) replied to a publicly dispersed survey.
In total, 291 individuals answered questions laid out by CABE regarding the current strengths and weaknesses of Hamden schools and the kinds of qualities a person must have to navigate those collectively-determined contexts.
On Tuesday night, two of those consultants — Mary Broderick and Jack Reynolds — laid out the research they compiled in response to that question, at a BOE meeting. Read the full profile here.
First and foremost, the report showcased what a potential superintendent will have to look forward to in coming to Hamden.
One hundred three respondents complimented Hamden’s curricula and programming; 49 described the district as fostering a “family culture connected to rich local resources”; 32 complimented “committed, collaborative, hardworking, flexible, highly educated, caring and student-focused” teachers, and 13 said Hamden students themselves are the true highlights of the town’s school system.
The school system’s greatest strength, according to 167 individuals, or 57 percent of all those who engaged in the CABE studies, is its diversity. One hundred sixteen also said the schools’ growing diversity and their approach to assuring equitable opportunities are a chief challenge facing the district.
“There’s a community feel within the neighborhoods,” an anonymous respondent wrote, with “amazing, interesting diverse neighbors who really care about each other and the future. It’s a microcosm of the real world.”
The positive implications of living in a richly diverse space are complicated by the racial segregation and socioeconomic disparities that many say plague the town.
Twenty-nine participants said that racially balancing Hamden’s elementary schools is a top priority (though how to do so is a deeper question, one that has posed problems for years as Hamden bounces back and forth on whether or not to close schools in order to relocate and integrate students of different backgrounds.)
Others argued about the importance of de-leveling classes, especially in the middle school, to lessen divisions and disparities among classmates. 16 specifically pushed for more services for special ed students, who some said were excluded from the general community.
At least 79 more people argued that a new superintendent should fight for greater rigor and/or opportunity for gifted kids.
There seemed to be more consensus, according to the report, on a different question of equity and representation: The school must hire more teachers of color and expand cultural competency within classrooms.
The primary issue highlighted through CABE’s research involved concerns regarding discipline, safety and mental health of students: 168 individuals said the next superintendent must address heightened bullying, fighting and general misbehavior across schools — 82 of those people also pointed to a need for better mental health services.
Ninety-one respondents perceived disconnects between upper management and both staff and students, with 15 asserting that the BOE is out of touch with those working “on the ground” and “always at odds and politically divided.”
Those same people asked for a new system detailing how decisions are made and strengthening communication between those in central office and those in the classrooms.
Sixty-four individuals said staff morale was a growing problem, with “teachers and staff feeling worn down by the pandemic, political divides and the myriad stressors that are part of education today,” according to the CABE profile. “Teachers don’t have a voice,” some said. “Staff are exhausted at the end of the day,” more lamented.
Finally, people suggested that a superintendent think beyond the school system and recognize the realities of the town it operates in. Fifty-one people said the next schools leader must be financially savvy, cognizant of the town’s budgetary constraints, and have a long-term financial plan to offer high-quality education to all despite those outside pressures.
After considering all of the challenges — as well as the unique attributes — that define Hamden’s schools, the community respondents described the skills and traits a superintendent will need to thrive in town.
Of nine possible areas of expertise, three top skills were pinpointed. Those include, in order of popularity, the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with the school and broader community; a talent and commitment to building trusting relationships with students, staff, and residents; and a vision for innovative instruction.
When it came to personal qualities, 18 percent of participants said it was key that a superintendent be accessible, approachable and visible within their community. 17 percent said the new leader must understand students’ growth and well-being as their primary motivator. And 15 percent said a top administrator who is trustworthy, honest and respectful is necessary.
Someone who values diversity, equity and inclusion was the fourth most important quality — though only about 10 percent identified it as such.
All in all, the report suggests that the community is looking for a skilled communicator dedicated to transparency, accessibility, individualized education, and equity.
“This is invaluable information for the board,” BOE President Melissa Kaplan stated at the conclusion of the presentation.
“This is the most important decision the Board of Ed will ever make,” she asserted.
Oftentimes cities expend tens of thousands of dollars employing agencies to do national searches for candidates for various positions when they have excellent, qualified candidates right in their midst.
Hamden may search from Connecticut to California, but they may not find a better superintendent than their own GARY HIGHSMITH, who has served their school system in a various capacities for a number of years.
Sometimes it is best to go with who you know.