Selection of school superintendent to be discussed at Thursday forums
A day-long series of Superintendent Search Community Forums are to be held in Pawhuska on Thursday.
The April 14 public discussions will help in selecting a new superintendent for the Pawhuska Public School District.
Dr. Landon Berry, the superintendent since July 2012, announced in February that he will be leaving the local district when the current academic year concluded at the end of June. Berry’s departure is for family reasons. He’s returning to his hometown of Porum, where he will continue to be a school superintendent.
The Oklahoma State School Boards Association will assist Pawhuska Public Schools with the search — just as it did nearly four years ago when Berry was hired from the Haskell School District.
OSSBA search consultants will facilitate each of the forums, which are designed to be conversational and interactive. According to the state board, each of the forums is to place an emphasis on the future of the local school district. Efforts will be made to gain input from district stakeholders regarding qualifications and characteristics deemed most suitable for the next superintendent the Pawhuska Schools.
The initial forum is being called the Community Members Luncheon. It’s scheduled to last from noon until 1:30 p.m. at Pawhuska Community Center, on the corner of Lynn Avenue and Main Street. Please come and give your input regarding the qualifications and characteristics of the next superintendent.
A School Administration Forum begins at 2 p.m. and lasts until 2:45 p.m. in the School Administration/Board Room at 1801 McKenzie Road. Approximately an hour after that session concludes, the Pawhuska High School Lecture Hall will host a forum for Pawhuska Public School Staff members from 3:45 p.m. to 4:40 p.m.
Parents, school district patrons and other members of the community are encouraged to attend Thursday’s final forum, which begins at 5:30 p.m. and will continue to around 6:15 p.m. at the Pawhuska Community Center, 520 Lynn Ave.
The public selection process is intended to conclude with the hiring a new school district superintendent, preferably within the next couple of months.