The search for the next “brave and courageous” superintendent of Virginia’s Fairfax County Public Schools is ramping up.
At a meeting between the school board and representatives from GR Recruiting, which is leading the search, board members were told some informal conversations have already begun with potential candidates.
It came out following a presentation by Gloria Davis of GR Recruiting, which is conducting the search for the county. Following a rundown of what various stakeholders in the county — including residents, teachers, administrators and others — were looking for, she was asked how she’d woo a candidate who fit that criteria.
“We reach out to individuals who have had experience in like-size districts, in districts with similar diverse makeup in terms of population and communitywide, we look for individuals who have a proven track record knowing how to advance high academic achievement because that’s one of the pillars of Fairfax County,” Davis said.
She added that the final candidates will also bring “a strong business sense” to the job: “We have a three-plus billion dollar budget, so it needs to be someone that’s able to manage finance in a large organization with a large financial budget in terms of resources.”
Judging by what the stakeholders spoke out about, her next criteria may also be among the most important, too.
“We’ll look for someone that knows how to engage,” said Davis. “High engagement is necessary. You have to be someone that is able to engage all groups from all segments of the community, from one end to the other.”
GR Recruiting met with hundreds of people in multiple meetings and town halls in recent weeks as the headhunting firm began assessing what to look for in a candidate. It’s clear county residents think highly of what the county and its school system can offer to the right candidate, both within the school system itself, but also in terms of quality of life and amenities that are available outside of work.
“The overarching comment and themes that came out from all the groups was that the new superintendent needs to possess good listening skills,” Davis said. “They want someone that is a good listener and is able to be transparent and helpful in terms of addressing issues that individuals and groups feel are very important, but listen to their concerns and listen to what is expressed as a need.”
At the same time, the new leader should be a “decisive decision maker” who can withstand criticism, too. Davis said that was one sentiment repeatedly expressed by those they spoke with.
“They want a superintendent who is brave and courageous,” said Davis. “Those were the exact words used often. Brave and courageous to make strong decisions, to make heartfelt caring decisions.”
Whoever is ultimately chosen will also be expected to acclimate well into a community blended together with different cultures, and have a respect, understanding, and appreciation of them.
She said one comment made clear “while everyone can sometimes give lip service to understanding the need for diversity, they want someone who has experienced it, who has lived it,” Davis said. Someone “who knows about how to work with various cultures, knows how to interact with various cultures to make everyone feel valued, make everyone feel important.”
The county is still accepting applications from candidates for another month. After the March 4 deadline is passed, the county and search firm will start winnowing down the pool of potential candidates and begin narrowing the focus in the middle of March, with interviews slated to follow shortly after. Negotiations could begin with the top choices by the end of March or beginning of April.
