Board Reviews Findings from Stakeholder Input Meetings
On Monday, March 25, during the Waukee Board of Education meeting, representatives from the search firm McPherson and Jacobson reviewed the findings of the stakeholder input meetings with the board.
Consultants Mike Billings, Lyle Schwartz, and Kim Antisdel conducted multiple meetings with stakeholders representing eight different groups associated with the Waukee Community School District on March 7, 12 and 13, 2019. The purpose of these meetings was to gather valuable input regarding the selection of the next superintendent.
The consultants received input from approximately 77 individuals in the meetings and 86 responses from the online survey. Major themes expressed by the participants were shared in the Executive Summary prepared by McPherson and Jacobson as follows:
What are the greatest assets of the Greater Waukee Community?
- Large city with a small town feel
- Outstanding amenities – something for everyone
- Very supportive of the school
- A lot of community pride
- Very safe community
- Great location – close to everything you’d need and want
- Diverse community and very accepting of that diversity
- Tremendous growth
- Proud of the historic areas (The Triangle, etc.)
- Progressive and vibrant
- City infrastructure is keeping up
- Community recreation opportunities (trail system, etc.)
What are the strengths/assets of the Waukee Community School District?
- Progressive and innovative
- High expectations for students and staff
- Achievement
- Wide variety of opportunities for students academically
- The APEX program
- Post-secondary and dual credit course offerings
- Strong building administration
- Quality facilities
- Multiple co and extra-curricular opportunities
- Strong support from the central office
- Outstanding teachers
- Collaboration between teacher, administration, and community
- Success in all extra and co-curricular areas
- Waukee Foundation
What characteristics are most important in the next superintendent of the Waukee Community School District?
- Approachable and accessible to all
- Visible
- Engaged internally and externally
- High expectations for self and staff
- Relationship builder
- Trustworthy
- Honest
- Strong communicator and listener
- All about the students
- Servant leader
- Ethical with a high level of integrity
- Community and civic-minded
- Visionary
- Understands Iowa school finance and law
- Open minded
- Experienced
- Progressive and innovative
- Transparent
- Strategic – a systems thinker
- Positive
What are the most significant district, community or state issues the selected person will face and need to deal with in order to be effective immediately?
- Trust issues
- Opening a new high school (and all that goes with it)
- School finance
- Student enrollment growth
- Staffing issues (ELP, ELL, etc.)
- District boundaries
- Growth in diversity
- Open enrollment
Superintendent Timeline
- March 28 – Position closes to applicants
- April 15 – Board of Education meeting (closed session to discuss the following items related to the superintendent search):
- Meet with stakeholder group chairs
- Review candidates
- Select finalists
- Finalize candidate daily interview schedule
- Finalize district interview schedule
- Week of April 22 – interviews with the candidates
Thank you for your continued support of the Waukee Community School District.
We will continue to post updates about the Superintendent Search Process on our website.
