By By JOANNA ARNETT / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Two search firms presented their persuasive arguments to the Brandywine Board of Education Monday evening in regard to the quest for a new superintendent.
The Brandywine board said it will make a decision as to which firm to use next Monday, Dec. 15.
Bob Jansen, a representative of the Michigan Leadership Institute (MLI) and former superintendent for the Mt. Pleasant district, addressed the board on how his organization would prepare their search for a new superintendent to replace interim superintendent Gary Campbell, who will be retiring when his services at Brandywine Public Schools are through.
Jansen noted that, in his organization's opinion, it is very important for a board to come to an agreement on salary, so that potential supers can hold salary comparisons.
Jansen also said that they would pull together a comprehensive profile, compiled from student input and the Board's ideas. Jansen also stressed the point that, given Brandywine's recent background of having a superintendent with skeletons in his closet, his organization is extremely thorough in their background checks.
The pool of candidates would be about one-third experienced superinendents and two-thirds administrators or assistant superintendents. The firm would be conducting searches throughout the entire United States, not just in Michigan.
Jansen noted that Brandywine seemed "ahead of the game" in their search and said his organization "has completed 100 percent of the searches we have started. We also have successfully placed 100 percent of our candidates."
Fees for using MLI, according to Jansen, would be $6,000, with expenses not exceeding $700.
Following a brief interlude, Carl Hartman of the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) presented his firm's ideas and tools used in the superintendent search.
Fees for using MASB would be $4,000, with expenses not exceeding $750.
Following their presentations, School Board President James Curran addressed the board.