The third-party search firm Thompson and Horton, LLP hired to help Wimberley ISD replace Superintendent Dwain York met with 50 members of the community last week to learn more about what the community wants to see in a new hire.
The 50 people were nominated by the Board of Trustees. The questionnaire used during those meetings has been posted on wimberleyisd. net/superintendentsearch to allow for input from the general public.
“At the end of the day, this is all input,” Mike Moses, one of the consultants hired by WISD, said to the board last week. “(It is) welcome input, but trustees have to make the ultimate decision… You will take all that (input) in, but at the end of the day it is your best call.”
The individuals were spaced out over multiple meetings throughout the day. Moses briefed the board on the highlights of what the groups said before a formal report will be presented in the coming weeks.
“Every group talked about academic performance and student achievement,” Moses said. He said that, across the board, the groups were proud that local students are “competitive intellectually and competitive athletically.” They also highlighted that Wimberley was a desirable location with an involved community that is often centered around the school system. It was noted that the community would continue with high expectations for the performance of the district.
As for challenges a superintendent might face, the group brought up growth, though it was noted that Wimberley’s growth is manageable compared to other fast growth areas like Dripping Springs or Leander. Staff retention was also a concern.
“How do we deal with attrition, keep people and get talent in an environment where people in helping professions like nurses, first responders and teachers are leaving the profession?” Moses said. “…People will drive as long as they are not abused, misused, diminished and talked to in ugly ways. These last few years have been difficult.”
An increased need for specialized education and English as a second language support was also brought up.
The search firm also asked questions about what skills are desired.
“We did not hear one person say it needs to be a business person,” Moses said. “Almost every answer was they need to have been an educator, a teacher, a principal with a proven career path with a record of success.”
An expertise with school finance was also requested as Wimberley’s status as a Chapter 41 school, often referred to as Robin Hood, is a unique challenge that has caused financial issues in the past. Qualities listed were “tenacious, courageous, a bridge builder, integrity, transparency, sincerity, a servant, an excellent communicator and a great listener.”
“This is a good district,” Moses. “It is a desirable district… We try to be selective in the districts we work with. This is a quality district… There is a good vibe of Wimberley.”
As of last week, Moses said they had received 25 to 30 applicants but expected to have around 50 by the time the application process closes on February 28.
“We have talked to a few people, some who have worked here previously, some who have familiarity with Hays County or this district or this area and some who are not necessarily from here but who are really really sharp people. You may recall we said you’d think diversity in your pool is good. We’d like you to see some re ally experienced people. We’d like for you to see people in the power stroke of their career and we’d like you to see some rising stars too… It is a good feeling. We’ve had a lot of people reach out to us.”
The search firm will be back in Wimberley on March 7 to share all of the applicants with the board. The names of all applicants will not be released to the public. It was noted that every discussion of the process will be done in public but discussions of specific individual candidates will be handled in closed session.
The board will choose around five candidates for in-person interviews, which are expected to be handled in mid April. After interviews, negotiations will begin with the intention to name a loan finalist by May 2 with an official start date of July 1.
