SALEM — The Board of Education is asking residents, families and school employees to help define the qualities they want in Salem School District’s next superintendent, with an online survey and a series of focus groups beginning this week.
The board has selected Cooperative Educational Services’ C.E.S. Executive Searches to assist with the search, according to a letter from board Vice-Chair Kennedy Munro. The school district dates the letter October 21; the town reposted it October 26.
English and Spanish survey links are available through the district’s superintendent-search page. Responses are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, November 5. The survey asks participants to weigh leadership priorities, including student growth, integrity, team-building and a superintendent’s accessibility.
The district’s focus-group notice lists two sessions specifically for community members: a virtual meeting at 9 a.m. Friday, October 30, and an in-person meeting at 5 p.m. Monday, November 2, in the Salem School Media Center. A separate virtual parent session is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 27.
School administrators, non-certified staff, certified staff and town officials have their own scheduled sessions October 27–28. Munro’s letter says people unable to attend their designated group may join a community-member session instead.
The notice directs participants to the district website for meeting links. Readers should check that page for access details and any scheduling changes. The material reviewed describes the search and public-input process; it does not announce a selected candidate or a hiring decision.