New school superintendent search getting underway

Two consulting firms wanting to help lead the search for a new La Conner Schools superintendent made their pitches to school board members during near hour-long Zoom presentations Monday night.

Neither missed the mark.

As a result, the board postponed at least until its Oct. 12 study session choosing which will lead the perhaps six months process.

“I thought both firms did a good job presenting,” board president Susie Gardner Deyo said of the Northwest Leadership Associates spokesmen Mark Venn and Dr. Wayne Robertson and McPherson & Jacobson rep Rich Parker.

“We’ll sleep on it and come back in a week or two,” Deyo said after an informal poll of the board indicated members were split on which company to choose.

Board member J.J. Wilbur expressed an initial preference for McPherson & Jacobson, one of the largest school administrator search firms in the nation and able to launch a nationwide search. “Nationally, we could be missing out on a great talent” if the search were limited to in-state candidates, he said.

Board member John Agen gave an early nod to Seattle based Northwest Leadership Advocates, which has a history with La Conner Schools and other Skagit County districts.

“I agree with J.J.,” Agen said of the value in conducting a search with a national scope, “but I’m not sure the odds are that someone will come in from out of state.”

Venn assured the board that Northwest Leadership Associates would seek out top talent for La Conner Schools.

“We would go out and do a very aggressive search,” he said. “You have a good reputation in Skagit County. I think you’re going to be an easy sell.”

Parker agreed. “La Conner is an attractive community,” he said. “We want to find the right fit for the La Conner community.”

All agreed the timing is now favorable for La Conner to seek a new superintendent. They noted that the applicant pool was more limited when the superintendent’s position opened here four years ago due to local school tax burden tensions related to the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court’s Great Wolf Lodge decision.

The two companies have offered similar packages in terms of the services they provide.

The district is looking to replace Dr. Whitney Meissner who left La Conner Schools in July after a sometimes stormy three-year stint to take an administrative position with the Lake Washington School District.

Veteran school administrator Rich Stewart is now serving as La Conner’s interim superintendent.