SCHOOLS

School board will consider firm for superintendent search

The Salem-Keizer School District Board of Directors is bringing in help to find the next superintendent for Oregon’s second-largest district.

The board meets Tuesday evening to interview four possible search firms to conduct a nationwide search for Christy Perry’s replacement. Perry, who has led the district since 2014, announced earlier this summer that she plans to retire at the end of the school year.

The four contenders to conduct the search are:

  • Alma Advisory Group, which recently worked with the Eugene School District during a 2022 superintendent search, for a contract of up to $83,000, plus advertising and travel costs
  • McPherson & Jacobsen, LLC, which worked with the Issaquah and Vancouver, Washington school districts on recent superintendent searches, at a cost of $40,500
  • Human Capital Enterprises, which worked with the Beaverton and Medford school districts on recent superintendent searches, for $41,600 plus travel expenses
  • Ray and Associates, Inc., which has previously worked with the district on a superintendent search, at a cost of up to $32,000, plus travel expenses.

Proposals from the four firms are available in the board meeting packet.

The board plans to discuss the proposals and determine two firms to move forward by consensus, according to the agenda. The final selection of a search firm would be delegated to the board’s chair and vice chairs, the agenda said.

The board may meet again Wednesday evening to continue the discussion if more time is needed.

To participate: The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23 and will be held virtually.

It is open to the public, and members of the public can sign up for virtual public comment before the meeting starts until 3 p.m. Monday using the link here.

The meeting will be streamed on CC:Media, channel 21, and on YouTube at the links below.

English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b4QOPjcWd0
Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGdgJUQXT0E

Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.

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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.