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Superintendent search was thorough

Dear Editor:I would like to address the concerns and criticisms of the Roaring Fork School District on their superintendent search process.The school board went to great effort to gain information from constituents through focus groups last fall on what questions and concerns our future superintendent would need to address. Through a national search, the school board received 11 applications, most from out of state. Today’s public education system is seeing a high percentage of teachers and administrators who are nearing retirement age and it’s creating an alarming gap in the number of qualified and interested individuals in these demanding positions. We as a nation will continue to see a decline in the numbers unless something is done to reverse it.It’s too bad that only 11 people applied, but the district had very qualified and experienced people to chose from. How do I know this? I was asked to help in the paper sort of candidates that occurred in February. On a long Saturday, teachers, principals, board members and community members from each town went through the applications to narrow down the field. This process was informative and enlightening. On Tuesday, March 21, that same committee, along with over a dozen additional teachers, principals and community members interviewed the final three candidates and made recommendations to the board.I assure you that the tough questions were asked and addressed by the candidates. One must keep in mind that this is a personnel matter and confidentiality is crucial to protect both the candidates and the district. From my experience on these committees, I am pleased with how much input the school board not only allowed, but also asked for. After actively participating in this process, the school board had a very difficult decision to make in my opinion.I support their choice for superintendent. Of course, there will be criticisms and disappointment, but we as a collective district need to come back to the table to work together for the children of this valley. After all, we are all doing this for our kids, your kids, and the kids of the future. Let’s work together to put the past behind us and put our energy into continuing to shape the direction of public education. Stay involved and continue to voice your opinion that is the way we see growth and change. Stacey Patch BernotCarbondale