Petoskey school board launches hunt for new superintendent

Editor's note: The previously reported superintendent salary information from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy has been removed. The information in this article gives the superintendent salaries and total compensation amounts as reported on each school district's website.

PETOSKEY — The hunt for a new superintendent was officially launched Thursday afternoon during the Public Schools of Petoskey Board of Education's special meeting.

Working in coordination with a leadership consulting group, Michigan Leadership Institute, the school board ironed out logistics for the selections process.

Consultant John Scholten, a former Petoskey superintendent who retired in 2019, attended Thursday's meeting and provided guidance for the upcoming selection.

Scholten advised the board to reexamine the superintendent compensation, and said, "If you are looking for a candidate with experience you may need to look at paying more."

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Along with a superintendent's salary, the position's total compensation includes payroll taxes (FICA), health benefit costs, and mandated retirement contributions.   

The following are salaries and total compensation packages for the school districts in Emmet and Charlevoix counties based off the most recent information published on each district's website.

The job opening is currently posted online with limited information, according to Scholten, who also said there is already interest in the position from potential applicants. The school board decided on a deadline of June 30 for interested candidates. 

Within the next week, the school board, teachers and staff will be engaged in focus groups and submitting survey answers to help administrators and Scholten better understand what the school district wants and needs in a superintendent.

A kickoff focus group was held last week at Lincoln Elementary to start the process.

Scholten said the process was going "to move fast" and anticipates top applicants will be selected in the beginning of July, with initial interviews tentatively scheduled for July 18 and 19 and second interviews on July 25. 

More information on the location of the interviews, which are open to the public, will be provided at a later date.

After the information from the focus groups and surveys is processed, a more detailed job description will be posted by June 6.

The Petoskey superintendent position will be offered with a three-year contract.

Interim superintendent Jon Wilcox, who holds the position through June 30, will not be involved in the position's interview process. 

Five people, including two staff members, were in the audience at the meeting Thursday afternoon.