Fayette advertising for new school superintendent. Only finalists will be revealed.

A nationwide search is in full swing to find a new superintendent for Fayette County schools just as the district is returning to in-person learning after months of a COVID-19 shutdown.

The school board is looking for a replacement for Manny Caulk, who died in December 2020 after overseeing the second largest district in Kentucky for five years.

On Wednesday, members of the Superintendent Screening Committee, chaired by Jessica Hiler, president of the Fayette County Education Association, encouraged people in Lexington to make referrals for candidates.

Here’s what else we know about the search:

What kind of candidate is the school board looking for?

Several qualifications are included in a candidate profile that people in Lexington helped develop. At a minimum, the Fayette County Board of Education wants someone who can work with them, provide positive leadership to teachers, staff and administrators, and become the district’s ambassador within the community. “The new superintendent must bring a strong managerial background and demonstrate the ability to address complex issues in a strategic, yet innovative manner,” the candidate profile said.

Said district spokeswoman Lisa Deffendall:

“We are looking for a candidate with experience as a leader in an urban district or a district of similar size, scope, and demographics who has demonstrated success in leading initiatives that have resulted in meaningful and quantifiable improvement in advancing the district/school commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

How can people recommend candidates?

Nominations can be sent directly to Ann Bailey, senior executive search consultant at Greenwood/Asher & Associates at annbailey@greenwoodsearch.com.

What stage is the search in now?

The position is being advertised nationally.

What’s next?

At the end of April, the Superintendent Screening Committee will begin reviewing the leading prospects in the first round of interviews.

The first round of interviews are expected to take place in May. By May 14, the screening committee could determine which candidates to recommend to the school board.

The school board plans to have the new superintendent selected and on the job for the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

Who is on the superintendent screening committee?

Jennifer Bolander, teacher representative; chair Jessica Hiler, teacher representative; Tom Jones, school board representative; Matt Marsh, principal representative; Kiyon Massey, classified employee representative and Thalethia Routt, parent representative.

How will the public know who has applied?

Information about the candidates will be kept confidential to protect the privacy of the applicants. Once finalists are selected, names will be publicly announced, and those candidates will engage with the community, district officials said.

What salary is being offered?

Compensation is expected to be in the range of $235,000 to $285,000 with additional benefits. The salary could be higher, depending on the qualifications of the candidate. For comparison, in November 2020, Manny Caulk’s annual salary was $281,888.