Board Of Education To Work With Search Committee To Select New Superintendent

The Madison Board of Education has formally, and with regret, accepted the resignation of Madison School Superintendent David Klein, effective Sept. 30, 2011.

Also at the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, Assistant Superintendent Anita Rutlin was appointed as Interim Superintendent for the Madison Public Schools effective October 1, 2011 until a new superintendent is hired for the District.

The Board of Education also voted to serve as "a committee of the whole" in conducting a the search for a new superintendent. 

School Board Chairman Becky Coffey said Wednesday morning that the board intends to work with a search firm that will present the Board of Education with a proposal as to how to proceed with the search process.

As to timetable, Coffey said that would be "very difficult to say at this point. First we have to get the search firm in place."

She noted that it can be difficult to schedule meetings during summer months, due to vacations and other commitments, but that the process would likely get started in August.

She also said the board intends to collect "stakeholder comment," from a variety of stakeholders including staff and the Parents' Representative Council (PRC). The PRC includes two parent representatives from each of the town's schools.

"The PRC members are the leaders chosen by the parents, and so we will be working with them," Coffey said.

Klein, the highly regarded and well liked superintendent of schools, announced late last week he is leaving to become superintendent / Head of School of The Norwich Free Academy (NFA), a privately endowed, independent, comprehensive high school with a public mission.