District Hires Consulting Firm to Aid in Superintendent Search

The search for a new head of Shorewood schools is officially on with officials hiring a recruiter Tuesday to help in the hunt.

Illinois-based consulting firm BWP and Associates will conduct the search for candidates to serve as Shorewood’s next superintendent, after current school chief .

The firm was hired at a base fee of $11,500, but there could be additional expenses incurred by the district, including an estimated $1,500 to $3,200 for designing and printing of recruiting brochures and $3,200 to $4,700 for advertisements in regional and national publications and websites, with cost depending on the size, placement and number of advertisements.

Board member Colin Plese said the board was able to negotiate down the base fee from $13,500.

BWP will work with the district to create a profile of an ideal candidate. Then the firm will conduct a search and screen candidates for the board to interview.

As part of the process of writing a profile, the firm will meet with district employees, members of the community and the board. Board President Paul Zovic said the firm is interested in attending an upcoming national superintendent’s conference in Houston and plans to get an early start on interviews in the village.

A meeting is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 13 with the board, and meetings with district administration, teachers and the community could occur as early as Feb. 15.

"They thought if they could get all this information, they could get an early start," Zovic said. "... It would be a good way to get some national coverage, right away," Zovic said.

Zovic said the firm might even talk with employees via an online platform through its website.

BWP was chosen from a pool of six firms that responded to a call from the district for proposals. The board said it decided upon BWP after board member Rob Reinhoffer reached out to references, including the Whitefish Bay School District.

The whole process is expected to take 12-20 weeks, Zovic said previously, and officials plan to have a candidate identified and a contract finalized by summer. The timing would allow Shorewood’s new superintendent an opportunity to work with McCann and learn more about the school district before the following school year.