The Fulton Public Schools Board of Education selected its superintendent search firm Wednesday evening at the district's October board meeting.
In a 6-1 vote, the board approved the district to hire the Missouri Association of Rural Education to complete its superintendent search as Jacque Cowherd is set to retire June 2020. The board listened to pitches from MARE during the meeting as well as one from the Missouri School Board Association.
"(The board) needed to make a decision on Wednesday, and I think the choice is a good one. Both firms were respectable," FPS board President Emily Omohundro said.
Omohundro said her and board Secretary Andy Bonderer had communicated with fellow board members and colleagues to find their search firm options. She said there were a few other firms that reached out to them, but ultimately, the board elected not to go with them because they were not local.
"We're not interested in doing a national search," Omohundro said.
The lone dissenting vote came from Bonderer. He said FPS had worked with MSBA in the past and felt they had a little more experience and a slightly larger pool of candidates, yet he said he embraces the process moving forward "100 percent."
With their services priced at $5,000 plus a $500 membership fee, MARE was the cheaper of the two options. Bonderer and board Vice President Todd Gray both said they didn't want price to be a factor in the decision, yet both agreed MARE and MSBA would likely produce the same candidates.
"More than likely you're going to get the same candidates regardless of which firm you go with. It's just who has the bigger reach and the ability to filter and disseminate information to candidates who match our expectations," Bonderer said.
He and board member Leah Baker had gone through the seven buildings in the district to ask staff members and stakeholders what they are looking for in the next superintendent. Some of the characteristics they came away with include an "innovator," a "strong supporter of the district" and a "proponent of teaching" and "the profession."
Moving forward, Omohundro said they plan on posting the job opening next week. The importance of posting a job vacancy in a timely manner was emphasized throughout the meeting by board members and representatives from the search firms.
"We are looking to gather applications until around Thanksgiving and then begin having interviews in early and mid-December. Hopefully, we can make a selection before the year is over," Omohundro said.
Cowherd felt a decision needed to be made Wednesday as well because of rumors of potential superintendent vacancies throughout the state that could possibly compete for their future candidates. Cowherd said MARE is a credible organization, and he feels comfortable moving forward with them.
"I've known both representatives from (MARE and MSBA) for a lot of years, and both organizations are credible, so I think they'll do a good job," he said.