Broward Schools Superintendent search hits critical milestone
FORT LAUDERDALE - Broward School Superintendent hopefuls have few hours left to apply and the frontrunners may have new competition.
Last week, with urging from people speaking during the school board session, the board moved to extend the deadline to accept applications until Tuesday, May 16th.
"If you're going to do it right, open (the application process) up for two weeks, three weeks so you can really have a conversation with different applicants across the country," Board Member Torey Alston said after the May 9th meeting.
"The board's goal is to get us to be an "A" school district," Lori Alhadeff, chair of the board said after the meeting. "So I'm hoping the next superintendent is going to be able to meet those needs."
District recruiters' leading candidates included Broward School's active Chief of Staff Valeria Wanza and assistant, deputy or associate superintendents from Palm Beach County, Chicago, and Detroit.
Last week, Alhadeff said Dr. Jesus Jarra, a former Miami-Dade teacher currently the superintendent of a school district in Nevada reached out about the job too.
With an extra week to find good choices, the board planned to end its search Tuesday and name semifinalists a week later. Those in the running have to answer questions in a recording that will be sent to Broward School board members. The board plans to name finalists on May 30th.
They scheduled community input on June 14th. The board expects to pick a new hire one day later on June 15th.
