There's still time for to give input on Pueblo D60's superintendent search. Here's how

James Bartolo, Pueblo Chieftain
·3 min read

Over 130 Puebloans participated in focus groups last week to inform the Pueblo School District 60 superintendent search and there's still time for more stakeholders to make their voices heard.

Due to the cancelation of two virtual focus groups, the Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates search firm is giving community members an opportunity to contact HYA associates Brian Ewert and Mike Richie by Thursday, March 14, before noon with feedback.

Ewert can be contacted at brianewert@hyasearch.com and Richie can be contacted at mikerichie@hyasearch.com.

HYA & Associates representative Brian Ewert leads a focus group meeting for the Pueblo School District 60 superintendent search at Pueblo Central High School on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
HYA & Associates representative Brian Ewert leads a focus group meeting for the Pueblo School District 60 superintendent search at Pueblo Central High School on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

What kind of feedback is HYA & Associates asking for?

Community members looking to email search firm associates are asked to include answers to five questions that were asked during 10 in-person focus groups and one virtual one last week. The questions listed below are quoted from the Pueblo D60 website.

  • "What are the strengths of the Pueblo School District 60 that the next superintendent can build upon?"

  • "What are the challenges facing the Pueblo School District 60 that the next superintendent should be aware of or which you would like to see addressed?"

  • "What characteristics or traits are you looking for in your new superintendent?"

  • "Is there anything else you would like to share with us regarding Pueblo School District 60?"

  • "Is there anyone that you can think of that might be a good fit as your new superintendent that we should contact? If so, please share or email us his/her name and contact information."

How will community feedback inform the Pueblo D60 superintendent search?

Community feedback from focus groups, emails and a recently closed community survey will be used to compile a "leadership report" used to screen superintendent candidates. The leadership report is tentatively scheduled to be presented to the Pueblo D60 Board of Education on March 18.

On April 2, HYA associates will meet with Pueblo D60 board members in executive session to introduce a slate of six or seven "semifinalist" candidates for the superintendent position, Ewert told the Chieftain. Board interviews with the semifinalists will be conducted confidentially on April 10 and April 11.

Two to four finalist candidates will be publicly announced within the following week. Each finalist will then have the opportunity to interact with community members during a "full day in the district," Ewert said.

"(Finalists) get a tour, they meet with staff," he said. "That probably will be an opportunity for staff to meet the finalists and ask some questions."

QR codes will be provided for stakeholders to give feedback about finalists to the Pueblo D60 board.

Pueblo School District 60 educators participate in a focus group meeting for a superintendent search at Pueblo Central High School on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
Pueblo School District 60 educators participate in a focus group meeting for a superintendent search at Pueblo Central High School on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

What was said during in-person focus groups?

Responses to questions during HYA & Associates' series of superintendent search focus groups are anonymous. However, Ewert told the Chieftain that recurring themes in Pueblo D60 stakeholder responses were similar to those given at previous focus group meetings in other school districts.

The gamut of positive character traits that Pueblo D60 stakeholders asked for in the next superintendent included communication skills, transparency, honesty, integrity and trustworthiness, among others.

"These are the kinds of themes that emerge in all searches and certainly have emerged in the Pueblo School District 60 search," Ewert said. "More specificity will come when we publish the leadership report."

Ewert also noted a recurring theme of "community pride" among stakeholders associated with Pueblo D60.

"The district and the community always have challenges, but they are extremely proud of their city called Pueblo and district number 60," he said. "I think that was said in one way, shape, or form in every single group with lots of head wagging."

In addition to the 135 stakeholders participating in focus groups, there were 500 respondents to the online community survey.

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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: How to share your thoughts on Pueblo D60's superintendent search