About the Center for Executive Search
The Center for Executive Search is a school administrator search service dedicated to identifying and attracting executive talent for school districts and educational collaboratives in Southern New England and beyond.
Our Services
We customize every search process to address a district’s particular leadership needs and engagement requirements, focusing upon the selection of superintendents, central office administrators and school principals. We work with the school committee/board to gather input from within the district and the community to establish hiring criteria that will best identify qualified candidates who match the district’s needs by functional competence, leadership style and personal characteristics.
- Functional Competence: educational background, certification, relevant professional experience, and track record, which align with the established criteria.
- Leadership Style: the characteristics and individual qualities necessary to quickly earn respect and integrate successfully and smoothly into the organization as its new leader.
- Personal Characteristics: the work ethic, values and interpersonal skills required to fit and blend into the organization and community.
Using this format and thoughtfully addressing the requirements of the Massachusetts Open Meeting Laws, the Center will develop a unique and thoughtful process tailored for the school committee to identify and select its next superintendent or principal.
Contact
Center for Executive Search
OUR PROCESS
Organizational Meeting with the School Committee
At an initial meeting with the School Committee, the organizational framework for the search will be formalized. This will include designating a point person and/or a Search Subcommittee of the School Committee, a timetable of activities that reflect the Committee’s preferences for the breadth and scope of the search, as well as who to include in the search activities and the order of steps to be followed.
Working with the members of the Search Subcommittee, the consultant(s) will seek input from stakeholder constituencies on the criteria to be utilized in the hiring process. This input, summarized by the consultant(s) and presented to the Search Committee will serve as a foundation for candidate selection.
Seeking Community and District Input
A plan for providing community and district input through forums and/or surveys will be developed with the Search Subcommittee. The Search Consultant(s) will assist the Search Subcommittee in creating surveys and/or conducting meetings with members of the community, parents, staff and administrators to gather information to be utilized in the selection process for the new Superintendent. The process may include:
- Training will be provided for the Semi-finalist Interview Committee. This will focus on the general organization of the interview sessions, preparation of interview questions, the avoidance of inappropriate interview interaction and the development of an interview evaluation/answer rating scale.
- Organizing and facilitating school/community focus groups;
- Providing a written report consisting of a summary of the results of the focus groups..
- Assisting in the design and distribution of a community survey
- Meeting with the School Committee/Search Subcommittee to share the results of the stakeholder forums and/or surveys.
- Developing a candidate profile to be utilized in a brochure and in the applicant screening process.
Publicizing and Advertising for the Position
The Center will develop a brochure that will include a full description of the position with an outline of identified qualifications and qualities for the appointed candidate. The community and School District will also be described. Final approval of the brochure including form, style and content will rest with the School Committee/Search Subcommittee. The Center will have responsibility for producing the brochure.
The Center Consultants will discuss with the School/Search Committee the breadth of advertising desired, reflecting the scope of the search and the allocated budget. The Center will assist in the preparation of the copy for use in advertisements. All advertisements will be approved and paid for directly by the School Committee. The Center will activate its extensive recruiting network, which will include sending the announcement of the vacancy and brochures to selected individuals and professional organizations, as follows:
- Administrators in New England currently holding equivalent positions;
- Executive Directors of State Associations of School Administrators;
- Placement offices of colleges and universities conducting school administrator preparation programs;
- Current educational leaders;
- Search sites such as School Spring and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and Massachusetts Association of School Committees; and if desired
- National professional publications, i.e. Education Week
Applicant Recruitment
The Center, through its recruitment efforts, will generate a pool of qualified applicants. The Center will go beyond traditional recruitment avenues and will be aggressive in its pursuit of nominations from educational leaders and experts. In addition, utilizing its database of executive level personnel information and its consultants’ knowledge of currently high performing school executives, the Center will directly contact selected individuals with regard to their interest in the position.
Application Screening
A process for screening of applications will be developed with input from the School Committee/Search Subcommittee. An application form, if requested, will be developed by the Center for use by the School Committee/Search Subcommittee. The form may include a required written statement on an education related topic. The Search Subcommittee will approve the topic for the written statement
The Center’s consultants will assist in the review of all applications utilizing the criteria developed for selection by the School Committee/Search Subcommittee. Center staff will conduct in-depth background and reference checks, before recommending candidates for a potential interview.
The Center’s consultants will interview those applicants, determined to be highly qualified. A pre-determined number of applicants, approved by the School Committee/Search Subcommittee, will be declared semi-finalist candidates and will be notified of their status. The names of these individuals will be forwarded to the Search Subcommittee..
Candidate Interviews
A workshop will be provided for the Semi-finalist Interview Committee. This will focus on the general organization of the interview sessions, preparation of interview questions, the avoidance of inappropriate interview interaction and the development of an interview evaluation/answer rating scale.
The Center will arrange for candidate interviews and will provide each interviewer with a portfolio of application materials, gathered on each candidate, prior to the interviews. The consultant(s) will meet with the School Committee/Search Subcommittee to discuss the results of the semi-finalist interviews and to determine the interviews of finalists.
The Center will assist with arrangements for finalists’ interviews and will assist with the development of a schedule of candidates’ visitations to the Hingham School District.
The Center may also assist in the arrangement for visitations by the School Committee to the current school/work location of the finalist candidates, if desired.
General Administrative Oversight
All questions from applicants during the application process will be directed to the Center’s consultant(s) for a timely response and shared with the Search Subcommittee at scheduled meetings. Applicants will be directed to send their credentials and supporting application documents to the Center.
The Center’s staff will create an individual confidential file for each applicant. A continuous monitoring of the receipt of all required documents will be maintained. Although the responsibility for sending in a complete set of documents rests with the applicant, search consultants will communicate with applicants in the case of misunderstandings or oversights in the application submission process.
Once the School Committee has selected its new administrator and the selected candidate has accepted and signed a contract, letters will be sent to all other applicants and candidates informing them that the search has been concluded and thanking them for their interest.
Follow Up Activities
If requested, the Consultant(s) will assist with initial contract arrangements between the new administrator and the Search/School Committee. A Search Consultant will be available to attend one contract meeting.
OUR STAFF
The Cape Cod Collaborative has been providing Educational and Consulting Services to its member communities for over 30 years. The Center for Executive Search is staffed with consultants representing a broad range of school administration experiences and successful search services.
Dr. Christopher Bogden, Lead Search Consultant
Chris was recently appointed the Director of Special Projects for the Cape Cod Collaborative. Prior to joining the Collaborative, he served as the CEO of INSPIRITAS, an educational organization dedicated to creating unique educational pathways through international school partnerships. Before founding INSPIRITAS, Chris worked, as the Principal Consultant and founder of LeadershipK-12. In this role he consulted with schools, nonprofits and private companies focusing on the specific mission-driven agendas of these organizations and the people who lead them. He expanded his work internationally in 2009 to assume the role of Project Manager and Special Advisor for the Jeju Global Education City in the Republic of Korea. In this role, he employed his extensive knowledge of all facets of school operations, governance, curriculum, instruction, and the recruitment of faculty and administrators to develop international schools, through thoughtfully crafted public/private partnerships.
Prior to starting his consulting practice, Dr. Bogden pursued a career dedicated to school improvement and educational leadership. For more than 25 years, he directed public schools and school districts across the United States in urban, suburban and rural settings. As a Vice President for Edison Schools, he developed and supervised the operations of charter schools across the Northeast. Dr. Bogden has successful fulltime experience in academia, teaching at the graduate level in teacher preparation and school administration programs, in both traditional and online formats. He received his B.S and M.S. degrees from Cornell University in Biology and Curriculum and Instruction and an Ed.D. from Harvard University in Administration, Planning and Social Policy.
Dr. Mary A. Czajkowski, Lead Search Consultant
Dr. Czajkowski recently retired after serving as Superintendent of Schools in Lexington from 2015-2019 after a thirty-four-year career in education. Before her arrival in Lexington, she served as Superintendent of Schools in Barnstable (four years) and Agawam (nine years). She had also served as an Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction (four years) following a career teaching high school science, math, and physical education (sixteen years).
Dr. Czajkowski holds degrees from NOVA Southeastern University, and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. She is a member of the American Association of School Administrators and had served as President of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents (MASS). During her career in education, she has received numerous awards.
Dr. Czajkowski has served on the Educator Evaluation Task Force, the Educational Personnel Advisory Council, the Performance Assessment for Leaders Committee and the Education Data Advisory Committee. Most recently, Dr. Czajkowski was a member of Governor Patrick’s Task Force on School Safety and Security.
Dr. Joseph L. Gilbert, Consultant
Dr. Gilbert has served in public schools as teacher and administrator for more than 36 years. After working directly with students as teacher and business education coordinator, he was appointed Administrator of Special Services for The Education Cooperative. Directly following this assignment, he assumed the position of Director of Special Education for the Brockton Public Schools. After 11 years of service with the Brockton Schools, Dr. Gilbert went on to become Assistant Superintendent and Superintendent of Schools in Raynham. After serving as Assistant Superintendent in the newly formed Regional District of Bridgewater/Raynham, he became Superintendent of the Harwich Public Schools. Recently retired, Dr. Gilbert remains involved with the districts in the Southeast Region.
In addition to carrying out his duties as teacher and administrator, Dr. Gilbert has previously contributed to the profession as Adjunct Professor at Boston College, Founding Chairperson of the Curriculum Leadership Center at Bridgewater State College and Chairman of the Cape and Islands Superintendents’ Group. He has served on numerous Department of Education planning committees including those having to do with transportation, special education administrator training and curriculum. His education includes a M.Ed. from Northeastern University and a B.A. and Ed.D. from Boston College.
Mr. Paul Hilton, Search Consultant
Paul is the Executive Director of the Cape Cod Collaborative. He has served on a variety of statewide and regional committees throughout his tenure with the Collaborative. Mr. Hilton has worked with the Center for Executive Search over the past six years. He recently established a cooperative search process with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) to meet particular needs for a recent (successful) superintendent search.
Mr. Hilton has worked in several public service positions including Assistant Superintendent for the Milton Public Schools, Assistant Director of Charms Collaborative and a variety of direct service and central office executive roles with the Massachusetts Department of Social Services. Mr. Hilton served as a member of the Middleborough School Committee from 2002-2011, serving several years as the Vice-Chair. Mr. Hilton graduated from the Middleborough Public Schools and earned a BA at Stonehill College. He is also an alumnus of the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work Program having received an MSW from the college.
OUR FEES AND FEE SCHEDULES
The full fee for a Superintendent Search ranges from $12,000–$20,000 which will include costs related to all consultant facilitation and professional services, as well as clerical services, printing, copying, telephone, postage and consultant’s travel expenses. Expenses related to advertising and candidate travel, as approved by the School Committee, will be billed directly to the district.
The payment schedule for all fees will be as follows: One-third of the fee will be due and payable 20 days from the signing of the Agreement. One-third will be due and payable 20 days from the scheduling of semi-finalist candidates for interviews with the Search Committee. The unpaid balance of the fee will be due and payable 20 days from the conclusion of finalists’ interviews with the School Committee.
The Center for Executive Search guarantees its continuation of search services until the successful candidate signs a contract.
REFERENCES AND RECENT SEARCHES
Falmouth Superintendent Search
Kelly Welch, School Committee, Chair
Lori Duerr, Superintendent Elect
Barnstable Superintendent Search
Bill Butler, School Attorney, Barnstable Public Schools (508.862.4952)
Nauset Superintendent Search
Marie Enochty, School Committee Member (508.270.3170)
Truro Superintendent Search
Brian Davis, Superintendent
Nauset Director of Finance and Operations Search
Dr. Richard Hoffman, Superintendent
Martha’s Vineyard, Director of Student Support Services
Dr. James Weiss, Superintendent
Chatham Interim Superintendent Search
Jeffrey Dykens, Chairperson
Bourne Superintendent Search
Richard Lavoie, Chairman, School Committee (508.759.0600)
Taunton Superintendent Search
Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent
Bridgewater/Raynham Superintendent Search
Ms. Patricia Riley, School Committee Member (508.822.5717)
Old Rochester Regional High School, Principal Search
William R. Cooper, Ed.D. Superintendent (508.758.2772)
Dennis/Yarmouth Superintendent Search
Mrs. Maryellen McDonough-Angelone, School Committee Chair (508.304.7312)
Mr. Phillip Morris, School Committee Member (508.362.5010)
Harwich Superintendent Search
Mr. Thomas Blute, Chairman, Harwich School Committee (508.432.0007
Sandwich Community School, Executive Director Search
Ms. Nancy Crossman, former Vice Chair, Community School Executive Council
Cape Cod Regional Technical High School, Principal Search
Mr. William Fisher, former Superintendent, Director (508.432.4500)
Nauset Regional School District, Business Manager
Marie Enochty, School Committee Member (508.280.3170)
Wareham Public Schools, Director of Student Services
Dr. James Collins, Superintendent of Schools (508.291.3500)