Cedar Falls School Board Asks 3 Search Firms to Present as Hunt for Mike Wells' Replacement Begins

The Cedar Falls School Board will ask three search firms to present to the board next week as it starts the search for a new superintendent.

The search follows first-year Superintendent Mike Wells' resignation. Wells resigned, effective at the end of June, rather than be terminated by the board, which decided not to renew his one-year contract.

The board has invited Ray and Associates of Cedar Rapids, McPherson and Jacobson of Omaha, Neb. and School Exec Connect of Highland Park, Ill. to present. After hearing from the firms, the board will make a decision on whether to use one of their services. No date has been set for the meeting.

Board members initially contacted six firms after a work session March 5. A search firm can help the board find superintendent candidates and guide the interview and decision-making process. Two of the firms were not taking additional clients and one was not invited to present after answering questions from the board members.

This will be the second superintendent search the board has taken on in as many years. Wells replaced David Stoakes, who retired at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

In the last search, the board worked with consultant Dave Else, a University of Northern Iowa associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Postsecondary Education. According to his UNI profile, Else is director of the Institute for Educational Leadership and co-chair of the Superintendent Preparation Program. Cedar Falls School Board secretary Doug Nefzger said Else's fee for that search was $10,119.19.

Read more:

Should Cedar Falls Get a Guarantee with Next Superintendent?

Cedar Falls School Board Takes First Steps in Search for a New Superintendent

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