After Glen Cove Superintendent Maria Rianna announced her retirement and subsequent move to the Malverne School District at the end of the school year, Glen Cove community members met with District Wise Search Consultants to discuss what they are looking for in the district’s next leader.
District Wise Search Consultants co-founders Bob Freier and Joann Kaplan hosted the meeting in the Robert M. Finley Middle School library.
According to their website, District Wise is an educational search firm that partners with school boards, communities, administrations, and staff to identify candidates who align with each district’s unique needs.
The firm utilizes a “personalized, hands-on approach,” leveraging more than four decades of combined experience in staffing and education. District Wise will compile a report of candidates they believe are best suited for the position based on their expertise and community input for the Glen Cove City Board of Education.
“What we’d love to have this evening is for you to help us create a profile for your next superintendent of schools. What that means is if you can help us with qualities that you think are important things that we should know when we go out and recruit people,” said Kaplan via Zoom.
Community members sat in groups at tables, where they discussed and listed the qualities they wanted in a superintendent. Virtual participants also engaged in discussions, with Kaplan leading the groups.
Residents shared their ideas, reiterating common themes such as transparency, financial literacy, trustworthiness, higher education, and a willingness to work with the community.
Roderick Watson, a Glen Cove City School District alum, voiced concerns about inclusivity in the district over the years.
“A lot of times what we don’t talk about in this school district, particularly in Glen Cove, is there are working poor. Although things look great, you have everything going right, there are people that are struggling in the school district,” said Watson. “I saw a trip posted for close to $5,000. I said, where are the trips for the kids whose parents don’t have $5,000 or $6,000?”
“I want a superintendent that’s not going to be for the politics,” Watson said. “I want a superintendent to not just worry about education, but I want them to take into account social economic issues.”
Janet Elatt, a Glen Cove resident, also voiced concerns about hiring a superintendent with financial management experience.
“I don’t want the next person to have to learn from the get-go,” said Elatt, “Without that financial piece, we can’t develop the programs that our children need. We are never going to be a wealthy district, but we need to be able to have people who manage, and know and understand.”
Freier said the superintendent application was open for two months before closing over the weekend.
Many community members questioned why input was gathered so late, after the application period had closed.
District Wise representatives said forums were posted on the district website in both English and Spanish for community input. Still, there had been no other available time to hold the meeting.
Formal interviews conducted by District Wise Search Consultants will begin this week, with plans to vote for the next superintendent in May.
