Rio Rancho school district to begin search for next superintendent

RIO RANCHO — Following the announcement of Rio Rancho Public Schools Superintendent Sue Cleveland, the school board will meet Monday to consider opening a search for her successor and ordering the district to retain a consultant to assist with the process.

If approved by the five-member board, the initiation of a national search will mark only the second time one has been conducted in the district’s 31-year history.

Amanda Galbraith, president of the Rio Rancho Public Schools Board of Education, said that while there are many talented individuals within RRPS, the board does not want to limit itself to the candidates it can consider.

“Because Dr. Cleveland has such a great legacy, we have a lot of people who are going to be interested in that position, and that’s going to be from within the district, the state and, honestly, the country,” said Galbraith, who said she ran for another term in 2023 anticipating Cleveland’s retirement.Guidance from the New Mexico School Board Association states that if school board members prefer to include candidates from outside their school district in a search, the best option is to employ a search firm. The firm does not need to go through a competitive bidding process because it is a purchase order under $60,000, according to RRPS policy cited by Galbraith. All the school board has to do is consider the firms recommended by a district committee and vote on one, she said.

According to information provided by the school board association, a firm could aid the district in the intricacies of a search, including developing a timeline, advertising the position and responding to applicants and screening them. Other duties of the firm could include facilitating stakeholder meetings, providing support to the board during candidate interviews, and providing resources that help the board reach a final decision.

Galbraith said conducting a search without a firm could mean “a lot of work to put on the school district staff and the board.”

School board association search consultant Tom Sullivan, a longtime former New Mexico teacher and administrator, said search firms can help board members, who typically have full-time jobs and do not have experience hiring in the public sector.

What’s more, “Consultants can help them avoid any potential landmines,” Sullivan wrote in an email.

The search process typically begins with the firm posting a position description, with the consultants facilitating the development of an “advertising packet,” which might include the superintendent’s required work experiences, expected skills, salary range and expected start date. The job description could be advertised for 30 days — the window of time needed for candidates to turn in their application materials, Sullivan said.

Consultants may conduct initial screening to weed out unqualified candidates before sharing information about qualified ones with the board. The board would then select three to five finalists, and the consultants could do background checks on them, Sullivan said.

When the candidates arrive, they could participate in a “round robin” of interviews with the board and stakeholders for a full day, according to Sullivan. Candidates will also submit written responses to questions.

“It’s a grueling day,” Sullivan said.

Following interviews with candidates, the board will meet in executive session to deliberate on their choice, Sullivan said. When the Rio Rancho school board emerges from executive session, Sullivan hopes the vote is unanimous.

“Even if it’s a strong 4-1 in the backroom, and somebody’s got something that’s really on their mind, applicants can live with that,” Sullivan said. “If it’s a 3-2 vote, I couldn’t take the job. .. So, we could ... try to get (board members) to reach consensus.”

With incumbents Jeffery Morgan (District 3) and Gary Tripp (District 5) deciding not to run for re-election this year, Galbraith brushed aside the notion that an election will hamper the search.

“It’s never an ideal time (to conduct a search),” she said. “But much of this process will start rather quickly — and, yes, it will start before we have those new board members.”

Despite help from a firm, Galbraith acknowledged that the search will be a lot of work for the board over the next few months. For now, she is taking a moment to look at “the big picture of what we’re about to embark on.”

“It’s definitely a big task to take on — and it matters,” Galbraith said. “It could be spectacular if we could have another superintendent that could be with us for a long time. I think it really helps a school district when you have leadership that can be with you through obstacles and good times.”