Search on for new superintendent

NORWALK — The search has officially started for the new Norwalk City Schools superintendent. Board members met Monday night with representatives of the Ohio Schools Board Association and set the following timetable. • April 23 — Brochure draft to board. • Monday — Planning meeting with board of education. • Tuesday — Officially launch search and post to website • May 5 — Brochure design and final approval by BOE. • May 20 — Community and staff focus groups. • Tuesday to June 1 — Recruitment/marketing activities. • May 23 — Closing date for applications. • May 24 — Internal OSBA screening and candidate portal opens to BOE. • June 1 — Board of education screening report meeting. • June 7, 8 and 9 — First round of interviews with BOE (three dates at board office). • Week of June 14 — Reference checking and achiever testing. • June 17 — Finalist round of interviews. • Following Second Round — BOE deliberations, contract negotiations with selected candidate. • TBD — Board takes official action to employ. • July 1 — New superintendent begins duties. Board vice president Duane Moore said the board would like like to find somebody with experience. "Now what constitutes experience," Moore said. "Do they come from within? Do they have superintendent's experience?" Moore said there are five employees in the district with the superintendent credentials: • Pleasant Elementary Principal Janice Smith • High School Principal Brad Cooley • Main Street School Principal Dan Bauman • Director of Operations Cory Ream • Middle School Principal Gary Swartz Moore said the board would like to have a new superintendent by July 1 to spend some time with outgoing superintendent George Fisk, whose final day is July 31. Moore said all further communications about the search will come through president Ralph Ritzenthaler.