Monday, Dr. Max Heim and Gary Secrest  from the Kansas State Board of Education arrived in Great Bend to meet with patrons, faculty and staff, administration and USD 428 board members to discuss the newly begun search for a superintendent.  
The goal of KSBE was to determine what qualities the district as a whole was seeking in it’s new leadership.  At the end of the day, according to Heim, there weren’t any surprises.
At a 5 p.m. meeting at the district office, Heim gave his report.  There were 14 administrators, two patrons, and 18 staff polled throughout the day.  He outlined the surveys completed with each group.  The responses compared favorably to others Heim and Secrest had conducted in the past with other districts.
Some of the critical needs those polled said a new superintendent will need to understand and address included:  ESL populations, special education, a growing poverty rate, the number of families receiving mental health support,  and  the need to move toward successful programs and initiatives.
Of the qualities that topped the list for each polled group, character, vision and communications skills were listed as most important.  Again, no surprises Heim said.  
There was some concern, expressed by teacher representatives, that the new super hold principals accountable, and that there is a general view among the staff that there is a disconnect between the administration and the staff, and that morale was low.  
Board member Dwight Young inquired of Heim if this was typical of other districts.  Heim responded that it was not.
A survey for the public will be available starting Tuesday morning on the homepage of the district website, www.usd428.net, and will be available for a week.  Parents and other patrons are encouraged to add their input to the search criteria.
“This is good to do, so that all parties are asked, and so you can sit down with the new superintendent and let them know what the people said,” Heim said.  
Dr. Tom Vernon in August announced he will retire at the end of the current school year, giving the board plenty of time to initiate a proper search.  
The Board of Education elected to once again use the services of the KSBE to use its resources to conduct a national search.  Initial advertising of the opening began at the beginning of November.  
So far, the district has received two applications, but more are expected in the coming weeks.  There are eight other districts in Kansas advertising for the same position at this time, including Hays, Heim said.  The applicants for both positions are different.  
“Most people want to live and work in Johnson or Sedgwick Counties,” he said.  “It’s not easy to find people who want to work in western Kansas.  But you aren’t western Kansas.”
He pointed out that the size of the town, the proximity to the Community College, and a supportive Chamber of Commerce were pluses in Great Bend’s favor.  
The district will continue to accept applications until Jan. 7.  The board will meet with Heim the next week to narrow down applicants, and later in January will begin the interview process, provided they find there are applicants they feel would be good candidates.  If not, they may begin searching for an interim superintendent.  They hope to have a decision made in February, which would give the new superintendent adequate time to give notice.