Davenport School Superintendent Search

Font Size:

| Sunday, May 22, 2005 12:06 AM CDT | () comments

Ann McGlynn

A "series of things" led to the top candidate for Davenport school superintendent to withdraw his application after three months of negotiations and finalized arrangements to certify him in the state of Iowa.

Bernard Oliver, an assistant superintendent in Virginia Beach, Va., said the salary offered to him topped $160,000 was "acceptable" and the perks, such as a car and an annuity, were in line. However, the state-required retirement fund was not as flexible as he would have liked and other contractual items were "a little weak."

But a "snag" with his certification in Iowa, "threw people back a good three to four weeks," he said. The problem, which required him to take extra classes, ultimately derailed a second visit to the area, something he said he now regrets, he said.

"The thing that I am regretting deeply is that I didn't force the issue about coming back there � to finalize some things with the licensure and to meet the community. That put me at a real disadvantage," Oliver said.

Being out of state made it harder for him to communicate to clear up the certification issues, he said, adding that he felt he did not have an advocate here. And he kept his name in other superintendent searches, he said, because he wanted to make sure those issues worked out. For example, he applied for a job as superintendent in Tampa in April.

Oliver was one of four candidates to interview in the second superintendent search process to replace Jim Blanche, who left one year ago next month. The first ended when two of the four finalists took another job, and the board did not extend an offer to the two remaining who did interview.

The board decided to up the minimum salary to $150,000 after that search, or $20,000 more.

In the most recent search, the board decided to negotiate with Oliver after interviewing candidates in January. Several community members expressed their enthusiasm about Oliver as the board announced its intent to bring him to Davenport.

"The qualities we were looking for in a superintendent were best displayed by him," board president Patt Zamora said at the time.

Talks fell through May 7.

Zamora agreed that the board did not want to spend $2,000 to $3,000 for a trip from Virginia to Iowa for Oliver until his certification was certain. But she also said there were "a couple of things that we could not agree to" in the contract. She declined to elaborate.

"We're sorry he's not here," she said. "We would have liked to have had him."

The board, she said, will "take a little break and determine our next process. It will probably not include the search firm we used." The district used McPherson & Jacobson in the first and second searches. "We're going to start in the fall when it's an appropriate time and use some creative methods to find candidates that meet our needs."

She added: "We cannot be a training ground for somebody. We want somebody good. I don't think we should just settle for a warm body."

Jay Goldman, editor of The School Administrator, a publication of American Association of School Administrators, said the supply of superintendents is "not extensive right now."

"It's definitely the buyer's market if the buyer is a superintendent," he said. "There is not a plethora of highly experienced, highly skilled people that are looking to move into urban superintendencies.

"People who are highly skilled are pretty much able to ask what they want in terms of salary and benefits. It's putting boards in a difficult position," he said.

Those who are sought after, tend to be highly valued where they are, he added.

"It doesn't make it easy for a small urban school district to find somebody experienced."

Norbert Schuerman agreed. He is the retired Omaha superintendent who came out of retirement to oversee Davenport this school year and has agreed to sign on as interim superintendent for up to another year. Details of his contract are expected to be finalized and made public soon.

"Finding outstanding qualified candidates who want to be superintendents in significant districts is a challenge," he said.

For Oliver, the size of the Davenport district was a positive, as was the fact that the school system is an urban one. His perception of the board and their relationship with the superintendent was positive, he said, and the community was "livable."

"There is a quality of life there," he said.

One of the lingering questions he wanted to explore more on the second visit that never happened was the community's commitment to diversity, he said.

On the Friday before talks fell through, Oliver began to wonder if the amount of time that had passed between the interview and the signing of the contract had stirred concern about his commitment to the job, he said.

"I spent a pretty sleepless night on Friday," he said. "This has got to be the toughest thing I've ever done in terms of my career. I've never had a tough employment decision."

Oliver still aspires to be a superintendent, he said.

"I hope I can find the right place and find a community that has a nice fit," he said.

Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@qctimes.com.