[00:00:02] YOU COULD. GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE CALLED MEETING OF THE [Regular Board Meetings Spanish] RICHARDSON ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. I AM REGINA HARRIS, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD. TRUSTEE ERIN LIN IS JOINING THE MEETING VIA ZOOM. HELLO THERE, MR. LEON. WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT, AND THIS MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 2:05 P.M.. THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION MS. RENTERÍA. DO WE HAVE ANY CARDS FOR PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON AGENDA ITEMS? YES, WE DO. MS. HARRIS. THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I WELCOME OUR VISITORS. SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS AT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS, AT WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALLED MEETINGS. PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. SPEAKERS HAVE 3 MINUTES TO PRESENT COMMENTS UNLESS THE TIME OF ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. WE HAVE A BRIEF VIDEO TO INTRODUCE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION AND TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. IN ADDITION, A DIGITAL TIMER WILL PROJECT ON THE SCREEN AND WILL COUNT DOWN A SPEAKER'S FROM 3 MINUTES TO ZERO. SPEAKERS MAY REFER TO THE SCREEN FOR THEIR REMAINING TIME. A COPY OF THE BOARD'S PROCEDURES FOR ADDRESSING THE BOARD ALSO IS LOCATED ON THE TABLE IN THE FOYER. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WATCHING THE VIDEO. THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO CONVEY INFORMATION TO THE BOARD. SPEAKERS MAY COMMENT ON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS OR NON AGENDA RELATED TOPICS AT REGULAR BUSINESS MEETINGS, AT WORK SESSIONS OR OTHER CALLED MEETINGS. PUBLIC COMMENT IS LIMITED TO AGENDA RELATED ITEMS. A PERSON WHO WISHES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD MUST COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD BEFORE THE MEETING TO INDICATE HE OR SHE WISHES TO SPEAK. CARDS ARE LOCATED IN THE FOYER OF THE AUDITORIUM AND COMPLETED CARDS MUST BE PLACED IN THE DESIGNATED BOX NO LATER THAN 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE MEETING IS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN. SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO PROVIDE WRITTEN MATERIALS TO THE BOARD SHOULD ATTACH THEM TO THEIR PUBLIC COMMENT CARD. A STAFF MEMBER WILL PROVIDE THE DOCUMENTS TO THE BOARD. PLEASE DO NOT APPROACH THE HORSESHOE AREA DURING COMMENTS. THE BOARD WILL NOT ENGAGE IN DIALOG WITH THE SPEAKERS. THE BOARD CANNOT DELIBERATE OR MAKE A DECISION ON ANY SUBJECT THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA. A SPEAKER MAY COMPLETE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD FOR EACH MEETING. EACH SPEAKER IS LIMITED TO A TOTAL OF 3 MINUTES, UNLESS THE TIME OF ALL SPEAKERS HAS BEEN REDUCED DUE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. A SPEAKER MAY NOT TAKE THE TIME OF ANOTHER SPEAKER. SPEAKERS WHO SPEAK THROUGH A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL TIME. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO PRESENT FORMAL COMPLAINTS. THE BOARD WILL ONLY CONSIDER FORMAL COMPLAINTS THAT REMAIN UNRESOLVED AFTER THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED THROUGH PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS AND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA, THE BOARD ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS, AND WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE AGENDA, THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL STATE THE SPEAKER'S NAME AND COMMENT TOPIC OR TOPICS AS IDENTIFIED ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT CARD. A SPEAKER SHOULD APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN HIS OR HER NAME IS CALLED. EACH SPEAKER SHOULD CLEARLY STATE HIS OR HER NAME AND THE RISD SCHOOL OR SCHOOLS THE SPEAKER'S CHILDREN ATTEND OR HAVE ATTENDED BEFORE BEGINNING TO COMMENT, THE BOARD SECRETARY WILL KEEP THE TIME FOR EACH SPEAKER. A SPEAKER MUST PROMPTLY END HIS OR HER COMMENTS WHEN THE ALLOTTED TIME HAS ELAPSED. NOT YIELDING THE PODIUM AS WELL AS REMARKS OR OTHER CONDUCT THAT DISRUPT THE MEETING ARE CONSIDERED OUT OF ORDER AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. VISITORS AND STAFF MUST LISTEN QUIETLY DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION. IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF OR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE TO CLAP, CHEER, BOO, DISPLAY BANNERS OR OTHERWISE ENGAGE IN DISRUPTIVE CONDUCT. PERSONS WHO DISRUPT THE MEETING WILL BE CAUTIONED TO OBSERVE MEETING RULES. ANY PERSON WHO PERSISTS IN ENGAGING IN DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE MEETING. A PERSON WHO CHOOSES TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION IS CONSENTING TO THE ONLINE PUBLICATION OF HIS OR HER COMMENTS. A COPY OF THE PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS LOCATED ON THE INFORMATION TABLE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE AUDITORIUM. SPEAKERS. PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THE FRONT OF THE AUDITORIUM WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. RANDY J. BLANKENSHIP, WHO IS HERE AND SPEAKING ON PROSPECTIVE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH FIRM DISCUSSION. MR. BLANKENSHIP. [00:05:06] I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE STATISTICS AND DATA SHOWS THAT THE ACADEMIC SIDE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS GOING DOWN. AND ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT THE PEOPLE I KNOW LIVE AROUND AND TALK WITH ARE, ONE, TO RAISE THE ACADEMIC LEVELS AND OUR SCORES. AND SO GETTING FROM THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL AGENDA THAT'S CREPT INTO SOCIETY, WE NEED TO FOCUS AND PUT THE TIME FOR EDUCATING, WHICH IS UNDERNEATH THE FOUNDATION CURRICULUM AND THE ENRICHMENT CURRICULUM, AND SHIFT OUR TIME FOR EDUCATION TOWARD THAT AND AWAY FROM THE UNAPPROVED UNAUTHORIZED CURRICULUM, WHICH IS IN LADEN WITH SOCIAL AND POLITICAL AGENDAS. THAT'S NOT GOING TO HELP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GROW UP TO BE ADULTS, FIND WORK, COMMUNICATE, GET INVOLVED IN IN THEIR PROSPECTIVE JOBS. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO GO ON WHEN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE GET OUT THERE IN THE WORKPLACE IS BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR BOSS, WITH PROSPECTIVE CLIENTS, THE COMMUNITY, ETC.. SO WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS AND MOVE THAT TIME AND PUT MORE TIME INTO THE ACADEMICS. SO WHEN YOU GUYS LOOK AT A SEARCH FIRM. HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR A SEARCH FIRM THAT IS DIRECTING THEIR ATTENTION TO SELECT A POTENTIAL CANDIDATE FOR SUPERINTENDENT IN THAT DIRECTION. BECAUSE AS YOU ALL KNOW AND PARENTS OVER AND OVER AND OVER HAVE SHOWN THE DATA AND IT'S EVEN IN YOUR OWN RECORDS HAS BEEN DECLINING. WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MEETING CRITERIA FOR MATH AND AND LANGUAGE AND WE'RE IN THE FORTIES AND 50%. THAT'S NOT EVEN THAT'S NOT EVEN IN MY AREA. WE SHOULD HAVE ALL THOSE UP IN THE NINETIES. NOT TALKING ABOUT STUFF THAT'S HALF THE CLASS IS GETTING THROUGH. SO WE NEED TO WEATHER WHATEVER THE PROCEDURE IS. WE NEED TO SHIFT THAT TIME CLOCK INTO THE ACADEMIC. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. BLANKENSHIP MS. HARRIS THAT CONCLUDES OUR COMMENTS FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, MS. RENTERÍA. THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED TO DISCUSS THE SELECTION OF A SEARCH FIRM TO ASSIST THE BOARD IN HIRING THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, INCLUDING PROVIDING THE PROSPECTIVE FIRMS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD. EACH FIRM WILL HAVE UP TO 20 MINUTES TO MAKE ITS PRESENTATION. THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AFTER EACH PRESENTATION. THREE FIRMS WILL PROVIDE A PRESENTATION. BOARD MEMBERS. WE'VE HAD JUST A LITTLE SHIFT IN OUR AGENDA. IT'S STILL CORRECT. WE WERE GOING TO GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER. OUR FIRST FIRM IS NOT AVAILABLE JUST YET, SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT AND WE WILL CALL THE FIRST FIRM. UP WILL BE O'HANLON, DEMUTH AND COSTELLO. ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL. WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO EVERYBODY TODAY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, PRESIDENT HARRIS. IT REALLY IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE ALL OF YOU, ALL TODAY. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, OUR NAME IS O'HANLON. I THINK CASTILLO, WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION HERE IN TEXAS OF ATTORNEYS AND EDUCATION CONSULTANTS WHO WORK WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE. MY NAME SPECIFICALLY IS MR. EDEN RAMIREZ, AND IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY WITH US. WE ALSO HAVE MR. [00:10:01] ALEXANDER AND WE HAVE MR. ROBERT DAVID, WHO'S HERE TO ASSIST US WITH OUR PRESENTATION TODAY. WHAT I WANT TO DO IS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND WHY WE THINK WE'D BE A GREAT FIT FOR RICHARDSON ISD IN YOUR SEARCH FOR YOUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. AND SO A LOT OF WHAT WE DO AND WHO WE ARE REALLY FALLS BACK INTO OUR ROOTS AND WHERE WE COME FROM. WE ARE A LAW FIRM THAT FOCUSES SOLELY ON EDUCATION. WE WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH EDUCATION CONSULTANTS, AND WE WORK TO SOLVE EDUCATION ISSUES WHERE THE EDUCATION ISSUES BE LEGAL, WHETHER THEY BE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES, WHETHER THEY BE CONSULTING CAPACITIES ON DIFFERENT AREAS. AND SO BEING PRIMARILY AN EDUCATION FOCUSED FIRM HERE IN TEXAS REALLY GIVES US A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO SEARCHES. AND OUR HISTORY HAS PROVED SO IN THE SUCCESS OF THE PREVIOUS SEARCHES THAT WE'VE DONE. THE TEAM WE'RE PROPOSING FOR YOU ALL TODAY THAT'S INCLUDED IN YOUR BINDERS THAT WE PASSED OUT HAS OVER A CENTURY OF EDUCATION EXPERIENCE IN OUR FIRM, AND WE THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY VALUABLE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF RICHARDSON ISD. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER OUR METHODOLOGIES, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER OUR PRICING, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER WHAT WE DO. WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER WHO WE ARE. AND WE HOPE THAT AFTER WE PRESENT TO YOU TODAY, WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE KIND OF FIRM YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE A GREAT FIT FOR RICHARD SINTON TODAY. SO I'LL PASS IT ON TO MR. DAVID. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AS WELL. AGAIN, MY NAME IS ROBERT DAVID. VERY HAPPY TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU ALL. AND I JUST BRIEFLY WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR OFFICES AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FIRM. SO AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE FOUR OFFICES ACROSS THE STATE. AND KIND OF, AS DEAN MENTIONED, WE REPRESENT REALLY EVERYONE FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE, VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE DISTRICTS AND EVERYTHING. SO OVER OUR OFFICES WE HAVE A NORTH FORT WORTH BRANCH OR NORTH TEXAS EXCUSE ME, CENTRAL TEXAS HILL COUNTRY AND DOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS AS WELL. REGARDING OUR FIRM, IT WAS STARTED BY MR. O'HANLON AFTER HE LEFT TO SERVING AS THEIR GENERAL COUNSEL, WHERE HE DEVELOPED JUST AN ABSOLUTE MEMORIZATION OF PRETTY MUCH ALL THINGS SCHOOL LAW, AND HE'S PASSED IT ON TO THE REST OF US. HE WENT AHEAD AND STARTED THE FIRM AS A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION BACK IN 1994. AND EVER SINCE, WE'VE GROWN TO NOW HAVE 14 ATTORNEYS, A LARGE SUPPORT STAFF, AND WE REALLY JUST BRING FORTH THE MIDSIZE APPROACH TO SCHOOL LAW TO WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO HELP OUR CLIENTS DIRECTLY. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO PASS OFF WORK TO ANYONE ELSE AND TO WHERE YOU KNOW, EXACTLY WHO YOU'RE WORKING WITH NO MATTER WHAT YOU ASK US TO ASSIST YOU ALL WITH. SO ANYWAYS, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CLARICE ALEXANDER, SENIOR ATTORNEY WITH HANLON DEMUTH AND CASTILLO. AND I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON ABOUT THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ABILITY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR ENDEAVOR OF THE ENTIRE SEARCH. OUR FIRM HAS BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND DURING THE ENTIRE TIME OF OUR EXISTENCE, WE'VE NEVER FAILED TO MEET ANY OBLIGATION FINANCIALLY. AND SO WE NEEDLESS TO SAY, WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH CASH RESERVE AND FINANCIAL STABILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MEET YOUR NEED. AND WE ARE WELCOME. YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK FOR ANY KIND OF STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL STABILITY, BANK STATEMENTS AT YOUR REQUEST. AND SO NOW WE'LL GET INTO THE MEAT, RIGHT. IN TERMS OF WHAT YOUR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH IS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WITH OUR FIRM AT THE HEART OF THIS. OUR FIRM HAS THE QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE. WE'VE CONDUCTED OVER 30, 40 SEARCHES IN OUR HISTORY, SPECIFICALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT YOU ASKED FOR. WE DID PROVIDE ALL THE SEARCHES THAT WE'VE DONE THAT INCLUDE THE SIZE OF THE DISTRICT, THE DISTRICT WHO WE HIRED IN REFERENCES FOR THERE. SO WHAT WE DO WITH SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES, WHEN YOU HIRE US, YOU'RE NOT HIRING A ONE STOP, ONE TIME WONDER SEARCH TO DO A SEARCH FOR YOU. YOU'RE HIRING SOMEONE WHO IS AN EXPERT IN THIS FIELD, SOMEONE WHO DOES THIS CONTINUALLY, AND SOMEONE WHO MAKES THIS PART OF THEIR BUSINESS. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE JUST OUT OF THE BLUE SAYING ONE DAY, HEY, LET'S DO A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND BID FOR IT. NO, WE'RE DELIBERATE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WE BID FOR IT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE CAN MEET THE DEMAND AND WE HAVE THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR IT. OUR TEAM, WE DIDN'T BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THAT, BUT WE'RE PROPOSING MR. BENJAMIN CASTILLO. HE'S ONE OF OUR PRINCIPAL ATTORNEYS. HE'S A SHAREHOLDER, FORMER SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER, FORMER TEACHER, FORMER ADMINISTRATOR. WE HAVE MR. DR. DANIEL KING, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT. HE'S AN EDUCATION CONSULTANT, NOT AN ATTORNEY. HE WORKS WITH US TO ASSIST US IN VETTING CANDIDATES. A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN THE EDUCATION. OVER 40 YEARS HE'S BEEN A TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, COUNSELOR AND FORMER SUPERINTENDENT. YOU HAVE MYSELF, A FORMER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, USED TO WORK WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS BEFORE I WENT TO LAW SCHOOL. SO I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF THE DYNAMICS THAT GO ON IN CENTRAL OFFICE. AND DR. ABELARDO SAAVEDRA, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT FOR HOUSTON, IS A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT FOR CORPUS CHRISTI ISD. AGAIN, ANOTHER EDUCATION CONSULTANT WHO IS NOT A LAWYER, BUT WHO WORKS WITH US WITH VETTING, RECRUITING, ANALYZING, BRINGING INFORMATION TO THE BOARD, CONDUCTING RESEARCH TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION YOU NEED DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. SO THIS IS WHERE YOUR TEAM WOULD BE. THIS IS WHERE YOU WOULD SEE A CONSTANTLY THIS IS WHO WOULD BE IN FRONT OF YOU. AND SO WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THEM BECAUSE THIS IS WHO YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH [00:15:04] PAST. SUPERINTENDENT STURGIS, I'M NOT GOING TO BELABOR THE POINT ON ALL OF THEM. THEY ARE THERE FOR YOU TO ANALYZE AND CHECK OUT. BUT JUST A FEW OF THEM THAT WE HAVE LISTED ON HERE, WE'VE RANGED FROM VERY SMALL DISTRICTS. WE'VE CONDUCTED A SEARCH IN RAMIREZ ISD THAT HAS 12 STUDENTS, AND WE'VE CONDUCTED SEARCHES OUT IN BROWNSVILLE, EDINBURG, WITH ALMOST 46,000 STUDENTS. SO WE'RE WELL WITHIN THE SIZE OF YOUR DISTRICT WITH SEARCHES, AND WE FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE DISTRICT YOUR SIZE BECAUSE WE'VE DONE SEARCHES FOR THESE KIND OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PARTICULARLY IN YOUR AREA OF STUDENT POPULATION. WITH RESPECT TO OUR AVAILABILITY, LOOK, ONE THING I'M VERY PROUD OF WITH OUR FIRM IS THAT WE COME ONLY WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DO SO. WE'RE NOT HERE APPLYING TO EVERY SINGLE SEARCH. WE'RE NOT HERE APPLYING TO ONE SEARCH WHILE WE'RE DOING ANOTHER, OR AT LEAST FINISHING IT OFF ALREADY. RIGHT. WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE JUMP IN, WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE YOU AND ONLY YOU THE FULL ATTENTION OF OUR FIRM AND OUR TEAM WHILE WE'RE DOING THIS. SO WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US IS THAT DURING THE BROADER PART, I WOULD SAY MAYBE THREE FOURTHS OF THE WAY OF THE PRESENTATION OF OUR SEARCH, WE'RE ONLY WORKING WITH YOU. IT'S ONLY AT THE END WE MIGHT START LOOKING FOR OUR NEXT GIG, BUT IT'S NOT DURING THE HEART OF THE PROCESS. WE ARE HERE WITH YOU 100%. AND SO I PUT THERE THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE 24 SEVEN BECAUSE THAT IS VERY TRUE. I'VE WORKED WITH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO'VE BEEN NURSES WHO CALL AND SAY, HEY, CAN I GET AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD MEETING? THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF ONE IN THE MORNING AND I WILL TAKE CALLS AT ONE IN THE MORNING IF THAT WORKS FOR YOU. THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO AND THE REASON I'M PROUD OF OUR FIRM IS THAT WE'RE BIG ENOUGH WHERE WE DO EVERYTHING OURSELVES, BUT SMALL ENOUGH WHERE YOU GET TO KNOW WHO YOU'RE WORKING WITH. SO IT'S KIND OF SIMILAR TO, DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH CHASE OR DO YOU WANT TO WORK WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY BANK WHO REALLY KNOWS YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY THE BEST? AND WE THINK THAT WE ARE SORT OF THAT LOCAL BRANCH THAT REALLY CAN DO A LOT FOR YOU, BUT THAT HAS THE CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERTIZE TO CONDUCT ALL THE WORK THAT THE BIGGER PEOPLE CAN DO. SO WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH YOU WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW US AND WE ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU. 24 SEVEN SO OUR PROCESS AND APPROACH, SOME FIRMS MIGHT COME UP HERE AND THEY'LL TELL YOU, I'M GOING TO DO EXACTLY THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, THIS, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO PROPOSE. WHAT I'M HERE TO PROPOSE IS TELL YOU THAT WE ARE HERE TO, FIRST AND FOREMOST LEARN FROM YOU WHAT WORKS IN YOUR DISTRICT, WHAT DOESN'T WORK? WHERE ARE THE LAND MINES? WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF? HOW CAN THIS SEARCH INCORPORATE INTO RICHARDSON ISD? I'M NOT TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING OUT HERE. I'M NOT GOING TO FIT A SQUARE IN A ROUND HOLE, RIGHT? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DEVELOP, WE DEVELOP TOGETHER. SO WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IS GOING TO BE WHAT YOU, THE RICHARDSON ISD SCHOOL BOARD AND COMMUNITY WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT IS EVERYTHING WE CAN DO, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO DO, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WHAT WORKS FOR RICHARDSON. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST OUR PROCESS IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT. WE ARE GOING AROUND AND WE ARE CATERING TO THE WAY RICHARDSON DOES BUSINESS BECAUSE THIS IS RICHARDSON'S RESEARCH, NOT MY SEARCH, IT'S YOUR SEARCH. OUR APPROACH TO THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT MEANS THAT WE WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE. WE WORK WITH YOU, EVERY ONE OF YOU. WE MEET WITH YOU BEFORE WE START DOING THIS PROCESS AND WE LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPECT IN THIS SEARCH. AND BY THAT I MEAN GOING OVER TIMELINES, GOING OVER THE DEGREE OF INPUT YOU'RE SEEKING FROM YOUR COMMUNITY, GOING OVER THE KIND OF CANDIDATE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, THE KIND OF SEARCH YOU'RE LOOKING FOR STATEWIDE, NATIONWIDE. SPECIFICALLY, WHAT KIND OF QUALITIES IN THE SUPERINTEND YOU'RE NEEDING IF YOU KNOW YOU HAVE AREAS IN YOUR DISTRICT YOU REALLY WANT TO ADDRESS AND YOU WANT A STRONG OPERATIONS SUPERINTENDENT, THEN WE GO AND MAKE SURE WE FIND THAT IF YOU WANT A STRONG ACADEMIC SUPERINTENDENT, WE GO. WE FIND THAT WHAT I MEAN BY THIS AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT WE REALLY DO TAKE TO HEART WHAT YOU IT IS THAT WANT FROM A SEARCH. WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME IMPOSE ANYONE ON YOU OR ANYTHING. OUR PRIMARY GOAL, LIKE I SAID, IS TO EMPOWER YOU, RICHARDSON ISD AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN THE SEARCH PROGRAM THAT IS REFLECTIVE OF YOUR GOALS. I'M NOT GOING TO GO UNDER ON ALL THIS LIST, BUT JUST TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR SEARCH. IT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR SEARCH IS LOOKING LIKE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING ELSE. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS WE ASSIST YOU FROM A TO Z. FROM THE MOMENT WE DEVELOP THE CANDIDATE PROFILE, EVEN TO NEGOTIATING A CONTRACT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING YOU NEED US TO DO. WE CAN CONDUCT FROM SALARY RESEARCH. WE CAN CONDUCT TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN BOTH ENGLISH, SPANISH OR OTHER LANGUAGES. IF YOU NEED IT. WE CAN CONDUCT ONLINE SURVEYS FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, FOR YOUR STUDENTS, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY. ABROAD, WE CAN MEET WITH STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS, TEACHER FOCUS GROUPS. WE CAN MEET WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION FOCUS GROUPS. [00:20:02] WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY DO EVERYTHING YOU'VE DREAMED UP IN A SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. THERE'S NOTHING I HAVE NOT DONE ALREADY IN ANOTHER SEARCH THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO DO WITH YOU. IT'S A MATTER OF DETERMINING THE NEED OF WHAT YOU WANT YOUR SEARCH TO LOOK LIKE WHEN THIS IS DONE AND COMPLETE. RIGHT. I LIKE TO SEE I LIKE TO THINK OF THE SEARCH IN THREE PHASES. RIGHT. THE FIRST ONE IS THE LISTENING AND LEARNING RIGHT FROM YOUR COMMUNITY. THE SECOND IS THE APPLICATION PERIOD AND RECRUITMENT. AND THE THIRD ONE IS THE ACTUAL NARROWING DOWN AND SELECTION OF CANDIDATES FOR INTERVIEW. SO IN THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROCESS, HOW MUCH WE LEARN AND WHERE WE LEARN IT FROM, I WILL TAKE YOUR DIRECTION ON THE SECOND PHASE OF THE PROCESS, ON WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR, WHERE WE CAN FIND THEM. WE GO EVERYWHERE WE CAN GO ONLINE. PERSONAL RECRUITMENT PERSONALLY REACHING OUT TO CANDIDATES THE WHOLE NINE YARDS. ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT OUR FIRM IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE A CANDIDATES TABLE, SO I DON'T HAVE ALREADY 20 CANDIDATES HERE READY TO GO TO PRESENT TO YOU EVERY SEARCH WE DO. WE START FROM SCRATCH BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT IF YOU WANT TO APPLY TO RICHARDSON ISD, IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE APPLYING TO RICHARDSON ISD, BECAUSE YOU CARE TO BE THE RICHARDSON ISD SUPERINTENDENT, NOT JUST THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE LIKE TO START FROM THERE. AND SO DURING THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE ANALYZE, WE VET. THERE'S GOING TO BE NOTHING ABOUT A CANDIDATE THAT YOU WILL NOT KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE CAUGHT OFF BY SURPRISES. WE MAKE SURE WE ARE THOROUGHLY AWARE OF ALL THAT THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH OUR SEARCHES. AND SO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IS YOU SEE EVERY SINGLE CANDIDATE WHO APPLIES, WE DON'T HIDE ANY OF IT. IF I GET 50 APPLICATIONS AND ONLY 30 OF THEM MEET YOUR QUALIFICATIONS, YOU STILL SEE THE OTHER 20. I DON'T HIDE ANYTHING. YOU ALL GET THE ENTIRE LIST OF EVERYONE WHO APPLIES TO YOUR TO YOUR SEARCH. AND WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU KNOW WHO IS APPLYING TO YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BECAUSE IT'S YOUR DECISION TO MAKE, NOT ME. I TELL SCHOOL BOARDS ALL THE TIME, LOOK, I'M NOT GOING TO WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT. YOU ARE. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL GET WHO YOU WANT HERE IN YOUR DISTRICT. SO COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. I DID TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND I HAVE SOME OF THEM HERE, A BROADER COMMUNITY TOWN HALL MEETINGS. WE HAVE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT OUTREACH. WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH YOUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE DO LOOKS LIKE IT'S RICHARDSON DOING IT AND NOT US. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR LOGO. WE DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR NAME. THAT'S NOT HOW WE WORK, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT OURS FOR OUR SEARCH. IT'S YOURS. SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH YOUR SCHOOL ALREADY TO IMPLEMENT INTO YOUR WEBSITE, TO IMPLEMENT WITH YOUR LOGOS, TO IMPLEMENT WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING. SO TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW IT'S RICHARDSON ISD LOOKING FOR A SUPERINTENDENT, NOT MR. DOMINUS OR ANYBODY ELSE. AND SO WE'VE MET WITH FAITH BASED LEADERS IN THE PAST, HAD A ROUNDTABLE WITH THEM. WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF. WE'VE GONE VERY CREATIVE WITH. AND SO THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ONES WE'RE DOING, EVEN TO THE POINT THAT A SCHOOL BOARD WANTED ME TO GIVE AN UPDATE EVERY BOARD MEETING OF WHERE WE WERE AND HOW MANY APPLICANTS CAME IN ALL THE NIGHT. SO EVERY BOARD MEETING I HAD TO GO IN AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION AND GIVE AN UPDATE OF THE SEARCH WHERE WE'RE AT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT. AND SO WE REALLY DO MEAN THAT WE CAN CATER TO ANY DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS LOOKING. SO WE DID TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROPOSED TIMELINE, AND I DID INCLUDE A SAMPLE ONE IN HERE, MAINLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT IN THE PACKET YOU ALL ISSUED OUT, YOU ALL HAD A GOAL THAT BY JUNE 30TH YOU WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST IDENTIFY A NAME ALONE FINALIST. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I WORKED AROUND THAT TIMELINE AND HOW WE CAN MAKE IT WORK. VERY DOABLE TIMELINE. I THINK IT JUST MEANS THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET OFTEN. RIGHT. BUT IF YOU'RE DOWN TO PUT IN THAT PART, WE'RE DOWN TO PUT IN OUR PART TO MAKE SURE WE MEET YOUR JUNE 30TH DEADLINE OF IDENTIFYING A CANDIDATE. AND SO THE TIMELINE HERE TAKES YOU THROUGH ALL THE BIG DATES. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK IN BETWEEN, BUT THIS IS THE BIG DATES IN HERE, EVERYTHING FROM MEETING WITH YOU TO IDENTIFY THE CANDIDATES, ALL THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR ABOUT TWO OR THREE WEEKS, MEETING WITH THE BOARD TO REVIEW ELEMENTS AND CRITERIA, POSTING THE POSITION FOR FOUR WEEKS. APPLICATION WINDOW RECRUITING APPLICATION, CLOSING US VETTING, IDENTIFYING BACKGROUND CHECKS, FINANCIAL CHECKS, CREDIT CHECKS. ANYTHING YOU WANT US TO DO? WORKING WITH CONDUCTING THE FIRST ROUND INTERVIEWS, SELECTING SECOND ROUND INTERVIEWS, GOING THROUGH SECOND ROUND INTERVIEWS AND NAMING OUR OWN FINALISTS. WE DO THINK IT'S DOABLE IF IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO WORK WITH, IF YOU WANT A LONGER TIMELINE. WE ARE WE ARE AVAILABLE TO WORK WITH A DIFFERENT TIMELINE IF YOU NEED TO. THIS IS JUST A PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR US HERE. AND I'M A BUNCH OF STORIES I HEAR TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE WORK WITH OUR PRICING AND OUR STRUCTURE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT NOT ONLY DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO, BUT YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST YOU AND HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE BILLED FOR THAT. SO AS YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR PACKAGE, WE DO CHARGE ON AN HOURLY BASIS FOR OUR ATTORNEYS, OUR EDUCATION CONSULTANTS AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS. BUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT ADVERTISEMENT FOR MAIL CORRESPONDENCE, TRAVEL EXPENSES, THAT IS AT COST. SO WE NO UP CHARGING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WHATEVER WE PAY, YOU PAY. AND AS FAR AS MILEAGE GOES, WE WILL CHARGE OUR STANDARD, STANDARD MILEAGE RATE THAT RICHARDSON ISD CHARGES AND WE DO NOT CHARGE FOR TRAVEL TIME. [00:25:03] SO HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES TO GET HERE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE BILLED TO YOU. THAT IS WHAT WE WILL CHARGE. AND THE GOOD THING ABOUT WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A FLAT FEE. IT'S IT'S IN YOUR PACKET. AND ONCE WE'VE REACHED THAT FLAT RATE, THAT AMOUNT NOT WELL, IT'S NOT A CAP, NOT A FLAT FEE. BUT ONCE WE REACH THAT CAP, YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED MORE THAN THAT. THAT'S ALL YOU WILL PAY. AND THAT'S A GUARANTEE. AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN REACH YOUR GOALS WITHIN THOSE TIMEFRAMES. AND I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT THAT IT IS A CAP AND THAT CAP IS NEGOTIABLE, RIGHT? SO IF YOU GO BACK INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND YOU SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO NEGOTIATE THIS WITH YOU, WE'RE HERE TO NEGOTIATE THAT AND TALK ABOUT IT. BUT THE BEAUTIFUL PART ABOUT THE CAP IS THAT, YOU KNOW YOUR BUDGET, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO ALLOCATE AND THERE'S NO SURPRISES. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN A LOT OF DISTRICTS, BECAUSE OF UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE'VE SOMETIMES GONE BEYOND THE CAP. BUT THE DISTRICT STILL GETS CHARGED ONLY WHAT WE'RE GUARANTEEING, EVEN IF WE DO MORE WORK. AND THAT IS A GUARANTEE, I PROMISE YOU WE WILL ABIDE BY AND WE WILL HOLD. YOU WILL NOT PAY A PENNY MORE THAN THE CAP THAT WE'RE PROPOSING FOR YOU OR THE CAP WE CAN NEGOTIATE WITH YOU TONIGHT IF THERE IS A REASON TO NEGOTIATE THAT NUMBER. SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. AS WE DO THAT, AS OUR REFERENCES, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND THERESA BACK IN HERE. SHE WAS NEXT. SHE STOLE MY SHINE. BUT ALSO WE SIT A LOT, BUT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONFIDENT IN WHAT WE DO. AND BUT WE WANT YOU TO FEEL CONFIDENT AND BY REACHING OUT TO OUR REFERENCES. SO WE HAVE INCLUDED SIX DIFFERENT REFERENCES FOR YOU. AND THREE OF THEM ARE OUR OUR SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH OUR SEARCH. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THREE BOARD MEMBERS. AND THE REASON WHY WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO HAVE REFERENCES FOR BOTH SIDES IS BECAUSE THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT GOES THROUGH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT RELAYS TO THEM HOW WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT COMING TO THE DISTRICT. AND WE WANT IT TO BE A POSITIVE AND COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE, NOT ONLY FOR YOU BUT FOR THEM AS WELL. AND SO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO THEM. BUT IF YOU READ THAT QUOTE THERE, WE DO HAVE SOMEONE FROM MS.. CARROLL WHO HAS GIVEN US SOME GREAT PRAISE, AND WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THOSE WHO THOSE REFERENCES WILL AGREE WITH HER IN HER COMMENTS ABOUT OUR SERVICES. AND SO IN THE PACKET AND I WON'T GO WE WON'T GO THROUGH THIS. BUT THERE IS OF COURSE THE PROPOSED AGREEMENT THAT WE PUT FORWARD VERY SIMPLE, CLEAN, STRAIGHTFORWARD. WE DO THINK WE'D BE A GREAT FIT FOR RICHARDSON ISD. WE THINK WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BRING YOU A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT. WE THINK THAT WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO MANAGE THIS IN A WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE RICHARDSON ISD PROUD, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE HIRING A FIRM WHO'S DONE THIS, WHO'S BEEN THROUGH IT, WHERE CANDIDATES FEEL COMFORTABLE APPLYING TO. OFTEN WHO YOU HIRE NO MATTER WHO YOU HIRE TO DO YOUR SEARCH MATTERS WHERE THE CANDIDATES APPLY. AND WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT IN OUR PROCESS ARE THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE APPLYING ARE EQUALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SERVICE YOU PROVIDE, AS ARE THE BOARDS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU ALL MIGHT HAVE FOR US. WE DO. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE LEFT, BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY IN THIS AFTERNOON. ANY QUESTIONS WE CAN ANSWER FOR YOU? ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. WE ACTUALLY WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS. SO BORED IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD. I'M NOT SURE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST. LET'S DO. ALL RIGHT. HEY, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TODAY AND MEETING US. I KNOW IT WAS A SHORT TURNAROUND, BUT I KNOW YOU GUYS HAD A HEADS UP IN THE WHEN YOU FILED THIS OR Q ON THIS. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS REAL QUICK. I DO WANT TO JUST SAY I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR SEARCH BECAUSE I KNOW IN DISCUSSIONS, WE'VE WE'VE WANTED TO MAINTAIN THAT THAT FOCUS AS WELL, THAT WE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK WE'RE GOING TO TALK STAKEHOLDERS, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT. BUT THIS IS OUR SEARCH AND WE APPRECIATE HAVING SOME EXPERTIZE AND FACILITATING THAT. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL BRING TO THE TABLE AS THE OTHER CANDIDATES DO AS WELL. SO I APPRECIATE HEARING THAT. ONE THING THAT I LOOK AT IS, IS ALSO I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME YOU GET A LIST OF PLACEMENTS. WE DON'T LOOK AT HOW LONG THOSE PLACEMENTS STAY. AND I KNOW RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT OF TURNOVER IN SUPERINTENDENTS. DO YOU HAVE ANY FEEL FOR THAT OR CAN YOU TELL US DO YOU TRACK THOSE METRICS, YOU KNOW, ON PEOPLE YOU HAVE PLACED IN THESE ROLES AND HOW LONG THEY STAY IN THOSE ROLES? YES, WE DO. AND SO I'LL SAY TWO THINGS. ONE, IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT, VOLATILE TIME TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT. SPECIFICALLY IN THIS PERIOD. THERE'S A LOT OF OPENINGS FOR SUPERINTENDENT POSITIONS, A LOT OF RETIREMENTS. THAT BEING SAID, FROM THE LIST YOU SEE THERE OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE HIRED, EVERYONE HAS BEEN AT LEAST TWO YEARS IN THAT POSITION, AND I HAVE A FEW OF THEM WHO ARE RIGHT NOW IN THEIR SIXTH YEAR SINCE SINCE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS. AND THE REASON I SAY 60, OR EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY ASKED FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, IS BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WE HIRED AS THEIR INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT AND THEN THEY WANTED TO KEEP THEM BECAUSE WE WORK WITH THAT AS WELL. [00:30:02] SO I'M VERY PROUD THAT IN OUR SEARCHES WE'VE NOT SEEN THE KIND OF TURNOVER IN THE ONES THAT WE'VE DONE. I THINK WE'VE HAD A LOT OF STABILITY WITH THE CANDIDATES THAT WE'VE BROUGHT FORWARD. AND I WILL SAY I ATTRIBUTE THAT TO A LOT OF US NOT HAVING THE CANDIDATES TABLE I'M TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE WHAT I MEAN IS THAT THE APPLICANT WHO'S GOING TO APPLY HERE, IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE APPLYING AT RICHARDSON AND NOT TO A CANDIDATE POOL FOR US TO CHOOSE FROM. SO I DO THINK THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU A SOLID CANDIDATE WHO'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR RICHARDSON FOR A WHILE. AND IF ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AS WELL, WE HAVE DONE GUARANTEES IN OUR SEARCHES ALSO THAT THEY'LL BE THERE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OR TWO AND WE CAN RESUME IT WITH NO EXTRA COSTS THAT WE HAVEN'T GONE WE HAVEN'T GONE OVER IT ALREADY. SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT AS WELL WITH WITH YOU ALL. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND THAT'S FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE ANALOGY I DRAW IS LIKE A HEADHUNTING FIRM, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT IS BEING PORTRAYED HERE, WHICH I THINK THAT'S INTERESTING. SO THANK YOU. BUT YEAH, I THINK, I THINK WE HAD A GREAT IDEA IF WE JUST KIND OF GO AROUND THE HORSESHOE. YEAH, GO AHEAD, MR. IGER. YOU KNOW, SO IN THAT CASE, I MEAN, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE LEAVING OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON RECRUITING CANDIDATES THAT YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY PLACED? AND IT JUST HAPPENS SOMETIMES. IT'S JUST IT'S NOT A GOOD FIT. BUT WHAT'S YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF RECRUITING PREVIOUSLY PLACED CANDIDATES? SO LET ME JUST SAY THAT WHEN WE ARE DONE WITH OUR SEARCH, WE'RE DONE WITH THAT SEARCH. IN THAT PERSON, IF THAT PERSON CHOOSES TO APPLY, THEY'LL GET THE SAME TREATMENT AS EVERYBODY ELSE. I'M NOT OUT THERE POACHING PREVIOUS ANYONE FOR ANYTHING OR NOTIFYING ANYTHING OF ANYONE AND SAYING, OH, I HIRED THIS PERSON HERE, LET ME BRING HIM IN HERE. I HAVE NO CONNECTIONS TO ANY OF THE CANDIDATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THAT I DO A SEARCH, I FINISH THE SEARCH, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHERE I END. IF THAT CANDIDATE, THOUGH, IS OUT LOOKING SOMEWHERE ELSE LATER AND THEY COME ACROSS ANOTHER SEARCH WE'RE DOING, I JUST PRESENT THEM AND TREAT THEM THE EXACT SAME WAY EVERYBODY ELSE GETS PRESENTED. YOU GET THE APPLICATION, YOU GET THE MATERIALS, YOU GET THEIR NAME. THEY GET TREATED THE SAME WAY. THEY'RE HELD BY THE SAME RULES. WHEN YOU SUBMIT HOW YOU SUBMIT. SO THERE'S WE DON'T DIFFERENTIATE ANY OF THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT. FIRST OF ALL, GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALSO AGREE WITH MR. POTEET ABOUT HEARING THAT IT'S GOING TO BE OUR SEARCH. SO I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK ALSO WHAT WHAT FOR ME IS THAT IT'S IT'S ABOUT OUR DISTRICT, RIGHT? REALLY, ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A DISTRICT, OUR DEMOGRAPHICS, WHO WE ARE AS A COMMUNITY. SO I'M WONDERING THAT BASED ON WHAT YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT RICHARDSON ISD, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL MAKE THIS SEARCH VERY UNIQUE OR ATYPICAL FROM WHAT YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST? AND THEN MAYBE ALSO DO YOU FORESEE ANY CHALLENGES THAT THAT RICHARDSON MIGHT HAVE? SO LET ME JUST SAY AND I WANT TO SAY THIS IS BECAUSE IT FALLS INTO WHAT I MEAN BY THIS IS YOUR SEARCH, YOUR NOTICE THAT EVERYTHING WE DO AND EVERYTHING WE PUBLISH WITH RESPECT TO YOUR CANDIDATE ALL CARRIES YOUR LOGOS, ALL CARRIES YOUR INFORMATION. OUR OUR STUFF ISN'T ON THERE. SO THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY THAT TO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT. RIGHT. LOOK, I CAN TELL YOU EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY GOOGLED, RIGHT? ANYONE WHO COMES TO THIS PODIUM HAS ALREADY DONE YOUR RESEARCH, RIGHT? HOW MANY SCHOOLS YOU HAVE, YOUR DEMOGRAPHICS, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. RIGHT. AND THAT CAN SPIT SOME OF THOSE OUT. MR. DAVID AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THEM WHEN WE WERE COMING IN EARLIER, TOO. BUT WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT I THINK WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE SPECIFICALLY IS THAT YOU'RE SORT OF IN THIS AREA OF WHERE YOU ARE A LARGE DISTRICT WITH LARGER DISTRICTS AROUND YOU, BUT YOU'RE STILL A LARGE DISTRICT COMPARED TO TEXAS, RIGHT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT MOST DISTRICTS. THE OTHER THING THAT'S VERY INTERESTING IS THAT YOU'RE IN A SUBURBAN AREA THAT'S GOING TO KEEP GROWING. RIGHT, ESPECIALLY AS URBAN AREAS ARE DANCING OUT LESS AND MOVING OUT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO I KNOW YOU HAVE YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP GROWING. ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHEN I DO THIS, I GOOGLE MAP THEM AND I LOOK AT THEIR LAND JUST TO SEE WHERE THERE'S SPACE FOR MORE. RIGHT. AND YOU ALL HAVE A LOT OF SPACE HERE TO POTENTIALLY KEEP GROWING. ADDITIONALLY, YOU ALL HAVE THE VERY, I WOULD SAY, HOMETOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT FEEL RIGHT. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I THINK BASED ON YOUR LAND SIZE AND THE AMOUNT OF SCHOOLS YOU HAVE AND THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS YOU HAVE, YOU'RE RUNNING INTO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ALL THE TIME, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE, WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO ANYWHERE ELSE. AND I THINK THAT'S VERY UNIQUE TO AND THE REASON WHY I SAY IT IS BECAUSE, LOOK, I'VE NOT BEEN A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, BUT MR. CASTILLO HAS. AND SO BUT I DO KNOW A LOT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO I'VE WORKED WITH, AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IN THIS PROCESS. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP COMING AT YOU. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP HEARING FROM YOU. I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO KEEP TRYING TO PROVIDE INPUT. AND THAT'S GREAT, RIGHT? BUT MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I LEARN FROM YOU. [00:35:01] RIGHT, WHAT YOU WANT FROM THIS SEARCH AND HOW WE CAN MAKE IT GREAT. YOU HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. YOU HAVE A LOT OF HIGH SCHOOLS. AND SO I DO THINK THAT JUST BASED ON THAT AND I'M JUST KIND OF GOING ON A LIMB HERE, YOU'RE GOING TO WANT SOME COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE SEARCH, RIGHT? THE DEGREE OF HOW YOU WANT IT. YOUR STUDENT POPULATION IS VERY DIVERSE. RIGHT. YOU ALMOST HAVE ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD, ONE THIRD. AND THEN, YOU KNOW THE OTHER THE OTHER FACTION. AND SO I CAN SEE YOU HAVE PUBLICATIONS ON YOUR WEBSITE WITH TWO LANGUAGES. SO SPANISH IS OBVIOUSLY A LANGUAGE SPOKEN HERE QUITE A BIT. AND Y'ALL ESPANOL IS IMPORTANT AND I CAN TRANSLATE, I CAN WORK, AND I'VE CONDUCTED TOWNHALLS FULLY IN SPANISH IN THE PAST IF WE NEEDED TO. SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE IT UNIQUE AND WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT YOU? LOOK, WE'VE LEARNED EVERYTHING THAT ON THE INTERNET IS ABOUT YOU ALREADY. THAT'S WHY WE APPLY IT. BUT IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE CAN DO THAT'S UNIQUE TO YOU, I THINK THAT COMES IN WITH OUR TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT IS YOU WANT AND HOW IT FITS FOR YOUR DISTRICT. BECAUSE I'M NOT IN THE BOARDROOM EVERY DAY WITH YOU TO KNOW THE DYNAMICS AS MUCH AS AS AS YOU ARE. AND I'M NOT WITH YOUR PEOPLE ON THE GROUND EVERY DAY TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THEY'RE THINKING. BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT NO SEARCH WE'VE DONE IS THE SAME. THEY'VE ALL BEEN DIFFERENT. IF I CAN ADD ONE MORE THING TO SORRY, JUST REAL QUICK. THIS IS A VERY COMPETITIVE MARKET, RIGHT? WE'RE ALL VERY AWARE OF THAT AND ALL THE DIFFERENT TURNOVER THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING. SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY GOOD AT THAT I DON'T THINK KIND OF WAS WAS FOCUSED ON TOO MUCH IN THE PRESENTATION AS WELL IS HOW WILL WE MARKET OUR DISTRICTS RIGHT? THIS IS TAILORED TO YOU. WE FOCUS ON LEARNING ABOUT YOU BEFORE WE START THIS PROCESS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOK AT AND IF YOU REACH OUT TO REFERENCES, YOU'LL YOU'LL LEARN FURTHER FIRSTHAND, IS HOW MUCH OUR SUPERINTENDENTS LOVE THE DISTRICTS THAT THEY END UP AT. RIGHT. THAT HELPS WITH KIND OF THOSE METRICS OF HOW LONG THEY REMAIN AT THOSE DISTRICTS THAT WE GET THEM INTO. SO I THINK MARKETING IS ANOTHER REALLY GOOD, IMPORTANT ASPECT TO WHAT WE BRING IN A WAY THAT WE OVERCOME KIND OF ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE FORESEE COMING UP IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. YES, MA'AM. AND SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK THE NEXT QUESTION. AND SO I DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT I APPRECIATE THAT THIS THIS IS OUR SEARCH. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT. I WILL SAY, THOUGH, WE ARE A FAIRLY NEW BOARD. THIS REALLY ISN'T OUR EXPERTIZE. SO WE WILL ABSOLUTELY RELY ON YOU ALL FOR YOUR EXPERTIZE TO HELP US OUT AS WE GO THROUGH THIS SEARCH. AND SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE OF OUR BIG QUESTIONS TO YOU IS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY BIG QUESTIONS TO YOU IS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU OR HOW WILL YOU GO ABOUT SCREENING CANDIDATES FOR US, SPECIFICALLY FOR RICHARDSON ISD? BECAUSE WE DO FEEL LIKE WE'RE VERY UNIQUE. AND WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW HOW DO YOU MATCH OUR NEEDS TO THE PROFILE WITH YOUR CANDIDATES TO CREATE, YOU KNOW, AND JUST CONNECT WITH THAT UNIQUE POOL? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE. ABSOLUTELY. SO LET ME SAY THIS. THERE WAS A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT I THAT WE DID A SEARCH FOR WHERE WE HAD FIVE BRAND NEW BOARD MEMBERS WHO WERE ELECTED ABOUT TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE SUPERINTENDENT RETIRED. AFTER THE BOARD FLIP, THERE WAS A VACANCY WHO HAD A SPECIAL ELECTION. I MEAN, EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF HAPPENED AND. IT WAS A GREAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ALMOST THREE YEARS ALREADY WHO THEY HIRED. THE BOARD WAS VERY HAPPY AND CONTENT WITH IT. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU, AND NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THIS SPECIFIC QUESTION, ESPECIALLY KNOWING WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS, I CAN SAY THAT BECAUSE WE ARE A LAW FIRM IN TEXAS WHO SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH EDUCATION AND NOTHING THAT EVERYTHING YOU'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH IN THIS BOARDROOM, THROUGH THIS SEARCH PROCESS, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN, WE'VE ALREADY DONE. AND WE CAN PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO YOU IN IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH, I PROMISE YOU YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME WITH US AS WE GO THROUGH THIS. IF THIS IS IF YOU'VE DONE ALREADY ONE BEFORE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'VE DONE. WE HAVE THE EXPERTIZE BOTH ON THAT. I'VE MENTIONED WE'VE HAD FORMER BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE PART OF YOUR TEAM, FOUR SEARCH, FORMER ADMINISTRATORS, FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS AND LAWYERS WHO DEAL IN BOARDROOM MEETINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY. I GO TO BOARD MEETINGS ABOUT THREE TIMES A WEEK WHERE I REPRESENT THOSE DISTRICTS. AND SO I'VE BEEN IN THE BOARDROOM A LOT OF TIMES, AND I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING FROM YOUR ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER TO THE LAWS SURROUNDING THE HIRING OF A SUPERINTENDENT. BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR ALSO THE HIRING OF A SUPERINTENDENT IS STATUTE BASED. SO THERE ARE LAWS THAT GOVERN HOW YOU GO ABOUT THIS AND CONFIDENTIALITY AND STUFF. BUT TO YOUR NEXT POINT, WHICH IS HOW CAN WE VET AND HOW CAN WE FIND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR RICHARDSON ISD? I WILL SAY THAT BOUNCING UP A LITTLE BIT OVER MR. ROBERT WAS SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE YOUR OWN BEST PRODUCT WHEN WE SELL YOU AND WE RECRUIT PEOPLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOK FOR AS PART OF OUR FIRST PART OF THE OF [00:40:01] THE SEARCH, I TALKED ABOUT THE RESEARCH AND LEARNING IS FINDING OUT WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC NEEDS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AS A BOARD. RIGHT. AND MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS REFLECTIVE IN YOUR SUPERINTENDENT JOB POSTING AND PACKET. RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO FOR OUR PUBLICATION IS LITERALLY AN ENTIRE PUBLICATION WHERE EVERYTHING IS IN THERE. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE FIVE, FOUR, FIVE BOARD GOALS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN THE PUBLICATION. STUDENT DATA IS GOING TO BE IN THE PUBLICATION. DEMOGRAPHICS, POPULATION. YOU KNOW, I WAS LOOKING AT THERE'S DIFFERENT DATA OUT THERE FOR YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. RIGHT. BUT YOU HAVE ABOUT A 9.8 YEAR AVERAGE OF YOUR TEACHER RETENTION OF YOUR TEACHERS WITH EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW. AND SO IT'S PUTTING THAT DATA OUT THERE SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING KNOW WHO YOU ARE. BUT WHEN WE'RE RECRUITING, WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. AND SO WE WILL DEFINITELY DO THAT. PERFECT. YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MEGAN, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MR.. MR.. LANG UP THERE. ALL RIGHT. CAN YOU HEAR ME? ALL RIGHT, WE CAN. THANK YOU. FANTASTIC. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M SORRY I COULDN'T BE WITH YOU TODAY, BUT THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR COMING AND PRESENT TO OUR GROUP. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. FIRST OF ALL, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT CREATING THE CANDIDATE PROFILE. AND AS YOU ALLUDED TO IN YOUR IN YOUR SEARCH ON OUR WEBSITE, WE DO HAVE A VERY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. AND WE LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE APPRECIATE IN VALUE THEIR INPUT. SO WITH THAT SAID, YOU SAID THAT IN YOUR PRESENTATION THAT YOU WERE GOING TO WORK WITH US TO CREATE A AN ENTIRE PROCESS THAT IS THAT IS FIT TO WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE. AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR TIMELINE A TWO WEEK MEET AND REVIEW COMMUNITY INPUT GENERATION TIME FRAME. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S COMPRESSED BECAUSE OF OUR TIME FRAME. CORRECT. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TACTICS FOR GOING OUT AND SOLICITING FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHAT IS YOUR MOST FAVORED WAY TO DO IT? IS IT FOCUS GROUPS? IS IT SURVEYS? WHAT EXACTLY WOULD THAT BE? SO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. TRUSTEE LYNN. LIKE ALMOST ANYTHING IN LIFE, RIGHT? THERE'S NO ONE HIT, YOU KNOW, APPROACH TO ANYTHING. SO THERE'S A COMBINATION OF THOSE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD DEFINITELY PROPOSE TO TO TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE AT RICHARDSON IS FIRST IS LET'S HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS I DID IN ANOTHER SCHOOL DISTRICT WAS THE LISTENING AND LEARNING TOUR. SO WE CONDUCTED FOUR TOWN HALLS WHERE WE HAD THREE BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND THOSE TOWN HALLS AS SIT IN JUST WATCHING. THEY DON'T GET TO TALK, THEY DON'T GET TO INPUT, THEY DON'T GET TO ANSWER QUESTIONS. THEY JUST SIT IN TO WATCH THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN US AND THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? TAKE NOTES. THAT'S THE FIRST PART, THE LISTENING AND LEARNING TOUR. WE CAN DO THOSE, THOSE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. I WOULD ALSO DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THAT WE CONDUCT YOUR ONLINE SURVEYS FOR YOUR STAFF. OFTENTIMES YOUR STAFF IS GOING TO BE THE BEST GAUGE OF HOW ITS WHAT THE FEELING IS OUT THERE. SO WE DO CONDUCT OUR SURVEYS AND THEY ARE CONFIDENTIAL. MAKE SURE YOUR STAFF FEELS COMFORTABLE ANSWERING THOSE SURVEYS. IN ADDITION TO THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A STUDENT ROUNDTABLE WHICH STUDENT LEADERS? BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOUR STUDENTS HAVE A LOT TO SAY. OKAY, SO IF YOU ALREADY HAVE STUDENT COUNSELORS IN PLACE AT YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, I MEAN, PUTTING TOGETHER A BIG ROUNDTABLE WITH ALL YOUR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENTS TALKING TO THEM, YOU KNOW, AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THEIR SCHOOL THAT COME IN AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY'RE FEELING, WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING, TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE SUPERINTENDENT, TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE, MORE IMPORTANTLY, SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE FEELING ON THE GROUND. SOMETIMES WE'RE IN THE BOARDROOM A LOT. WE DON'T OFTEN HAVE THE DIRECT INTERACTION WITH THE STUDENTS, AND I WILL EVEN GO TO ONE FURTHER STEP. WE CAN EVEN HAVE A JOINT BOARD MEETING WITH THE STUDENT PRESIDENTS WHERE WE HAVE THEM IN Y'ALL, AND WE KIND OF LISTEN TO THEM AND TALK TO THEM SO DIFFERENT WAYS. ANOTHER THING I WOULD DO IS IF THERE ARE SPECIFIC GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS OUT THERE THAT YOU'RE ALREADY THINKING OF, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO AND MEET WITH THEM, RIGHT? YOU HAVE YOUR ROTARY CLUB. IF YOU HAVE YOUR LIONS CLUB, IF YOU HAVE YOUR FAITH BASED LEADERS, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT AS WELL AND MEET WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, A BUSINESS LEADERS LUNCHEON. SOMETIMES SCHOOLS ALREADY HAVE COMMITTEES SET UP FOR THESE THINGS, RIGHT? YOU MIGHT HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, AN EDUCATION COMMITTEE WHERE YOU HAVE BUSINESS LEADERS. WE CAN MEET WITH THEM. ADDITIONALLY, LET'S CONDUCT FOCUS GROUPS. REMEMBER, YOU'RE ADMINISTRATORS, RIGHT? TOP LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS KIND OF GET THEIR FEELING ON WHAT THEY'RE SEEING AND WHAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. SO I THINK A COMBINATION OF ALL THESE THINGS IS GOING TO BE REALLY THE KEY TO THIS. NOW, TRUST HEALING. YOU DID ALLUDE TO THE WHOLE TWO WEEK TIMELINE, AND I DO THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE VERY DELIBERATE ABOUT. RIGHT. BUT I DO THINK THAT IN IN 14 OR 15 DAYS, WE HAVE ENOUGH TO PUT OUT THE SURVEYS, CONDUCT THE TOWN HALLS AND CONDUCT THE STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS OR THE EMPLOYEE ADMINISTRATIVE FOCUS GROUPS BECAUSE OF TWO THINGS. [00:45:03] ONE, 14 DAYS TO ANSWER A SURVEY BY YOUR STAFF IS VERY DOABLE, RIGHT? THEY GO TO WORK EVERY DAY. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SURVEY IN THEIR EMPLOYEE INBOX. THEY CAN FILL THAT OUT DURING LUNCH WHENEVER THEY CAN TO YOUR STUDENT. FOCUS GROUPS ARE ALL GOING TO BE DURING THE DAY. SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE TO HAVE A BOARD MEETING FOR THAT. SO WE CAN DEFINITELY MEET DURING THOSE TWO WEEKS WITH YOUR STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENTS AND HAVE THAT SESSION THERE. YOUR EMPLOYEE ADMINISTRATOR FOCUS GROUP ALSO CAN BE DURING THE DAY WHILE THEY'RE AT WORK YOUR TOWN HALLS. IF WE'RE HAVE WE DO FOUR TOWN HALLS, MAYBE THREE ENGLISH, ONE, SPANISH, TWO AND TWO, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU WANT AT DIFFERENT AREAS IN YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE CAN DO THOSE MAYBE TUESDAY, THURSDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY IN THAT TWO WEEK PERIOD AND PUBLISH A TIMELINE PRESET FOR THAT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM. SO YOU ARE CORRECT, IT IS A MORE COMPRESSED TIMELINE, BUT I THINK THAT BEING DELIBERATE WILL MAKE IT WORK FOR THOSE TWO AND WE CAN CERTAINLY PROPOSE AND PUT FORWARD IMMEDIATELY A LOT OF THESE THINGS. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. LEON MS. TIMME. OKAY, MR. HARRIS, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I'M JUST GOING TO ASK ONE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO LOOK TO YOU AND YOU LET ME KNOW IF I KEEP GOING OR IF WE GO BACK AROUND THE HORSESHOE. GO. READY? OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO GET A LITTLE BIT YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RECRUITMENT AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS OFF APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU SOURCE RECRUITERS RECRUIT OTHER FOLKS, MAYBE TARGET IF YOU FIND THEM TO BE A GOOD FIT OR IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST POOL. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU GO ABOUT THAT. SURE. SO I'LL START BY SAYING THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, MOST APPLICANTS IN TEXAS. RIGHT, ARE FAMILIAR WITH ABOUT TWO OR THREE JOB POSTING SITES THAT EVERYBODY USES. RIGHT. TEXAS IS THE TSA AND EVEN SOMETIMES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LATINO ADMINISTRATORS OR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN ADMINISTRATORS OR DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL GROUPS. SO WE REACH OUT TO ALL THOSE GROUPS TO DO THE NORMAL POSTINGS WE DO. IF YOU ARE A PROFESSIONAL SUPERINTENDENT IN TEXAS OR WANT TO BE SUPERINTENDENT IN THE FUTURE IN TEXAS, YOU ARE ALREADY ON ALL THOSE SITES ALREADY. SO THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THE POSTINGS, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU. SECOND, SPECIFICALLY WITH YOUR QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE DIRECTLY RECRUIT ANYONE THAT WE MAYBE SEE THAT AS A GOOD FIT FOR YOU IN THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE DONE ALL THIS, LIKE YOU CAN IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE JUST IN 20 SEARCHES AT ABOUT 20 APPLICANTS PER SEARCH, WE'VE SEEN QUITE A BIT OF PEOPLE COME THROUGH OUR PROCESS WHILE WE DON'T KEEP THEM IN A STABLE, READY FOR THE NEXT JOB, IF WE IF WE'VE EVER COME ACROSS ANYBODY ELSE, SPECIFICALLY OUR EDUCATION CONSULTANTS, WHO ARE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS IN HERE, IF WE'VE IDENTIFIED ANYBODY OF A LOT OF POTENTIAL WHO'S COME ALONG THE WAY THAT WE THINK IS A GOOD FIT, WE WOULD DIRECTLY REACH OUT, SEND A PACKET, RIGHT? MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET IT. ADDITIONALLY, SOMETIMES Y'ALL MIGHT KNOW INDIVIDUALS IN THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COMMUNITY WHO YOU THINK MIGHT BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU, LET US KNOW. I'M HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AS WELL AS WE DO THAT. BUT I WILL SAY THAT OUR NETWORK IS WHERE THAT REALLY COMES FROM AND THAT NETWORK IS BUILT ON 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE BEEN FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS, LAWYERS WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATORS FOR A LONG TIME ALREADY. AND SO, JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR NETWORK HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE BEFORE US. AND IF IN THAT PROCESS THERE IS SOMEONE THAT I THOUGHT WAS A REAL STAR IN A DISTRICT THAT JUST WASN'T HIRED THERE FOR FIT PURPOSES AND PERSONALITIES, THEN OF COURSE, I'D REACH OUT AND SAY, HEY, I THINK RICHARDSON WOULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR YOU. BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE GIVE THEM A PACKET, THAT'S IT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD APPLY OR WHERE IS YOUR APPLICATION? OR LET ME TRY TO CONVINCE YOU, I DON'T I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO CONVINCE ANYBODY TO COME HERE BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T WANT TO COME HERE, THEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE HERE ALREADY. I WANT SOMEONE FOR RICHARDSON WHO WANTS TO BE IN RICHARDSON, NOT SOMEONE I NEED TO CONVINCE AFTER A 20 MINUTE SPIEL ON WHY YOU'RE A GREAT DISTRICT. BECAUSE YOU ARE A GREAT DISTRICT. AND IF I HAVE TO CONVINCE YOU OF THAT, THEN YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE APPLYING TO RICHARDSON. OKAY. THANK YOU. GIVE ME. GO AHEAD. ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS JUST LOOKING AT, THE SAMPLE TIMELINE AND I REALIZE THAT THAT'S A SAMPLE TIMELINE. SO, LOOK, I'M NOT HOLDING YOU TO THAT BY ANY MEANS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE ELECTIONS COMING UP. AND I KNOW FOR US, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT EVERY AREA IN OUR DISTRICT FEELS REALLY REPRESENTED AND THAT THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY HAVE THEIR SAY IN THE ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE. CERTAINLY FROM THE BOARD PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. AND SO IN LOOKING AT THAT, OUR ELECTION IS IT IT'S MAY 7TH, CORRECT? MAY 7TH, POTENTIALLY LIKE EVEN A RUNOFF THAN PUSHES THAT LATE? IS THAT HOW COULD IS IT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO THEN STILL WORK WITHIN THAT TIMELINE? OR IS THAT SOMETHING THEN YOU WOULD COME TO US AND SAY POTENTIALLY RECOMMEND PUSHING IT OUT OR GIVE US A NEW TIMELINE YOU THINK WE SHOULD BETTER WORK WITH. SO I DID DO THE HOMEWORK FOR THAT ALREADY, AND I DID SEE THAT YOU HAD ELECTIONS GOING ON. I DO SEE YOU HAVE SIX BOARD MEMBERS HERE RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU HAVE ELECTIONS HAPPENING MAY SEVEN. SO THIS IS WHAT I'LL SAY. YOUR JUNE 30TH, I THINK IS SO DOABLE FOR TWO REASONS. ONE, FOR THE LISTENING AND LEARNING PART OF THIS. I DON'T THINK YOU NEED THE TRUSTEE TO BE ELECTED ALREADY BECAUSE THIS IS THE WORK WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH YOUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? ALL THE DATA WE GATHER WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THEM. [00:50:02] WHETHER THEY'RE ELECTED RIGHT NOW OR NOT, THE HOMEWORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT. NUMBER TWO, AND THAT HOMEWORK AND THAT CANDIDATE PROFILE COMES FROM WHAT YOU LEARN FROM YOUR COMMUNITY. RIGHT. SO THERE STILL DON'T HAVE TO BE ELECTED FOR THAT. NUMBER TWO, DURING THE APPLICATION WINDOW PERIOD. AGAIN, I STILL DON'T NEED INPUT FROM THE BOARD AT THAT POINT ANYWAYS. RIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE RECRUITING, WE'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE NOT HERE SORT OF DEALING WITH THE DAY TO DAY. I THINK THAT BASED ON THOSE TWO FACTORS, BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU MIGHT WHERE YOU WILL HAVE SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM WHO MIGHT NOT BE HERE, WHO IS HERE, WHO FOR SURE WILL BE HERE, WHO'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW? I THINK THAT THEY'LL BE IN HERE BY THE TIME THE SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATIONS BEGIN TO HAPPEN, BUT THE DATA WILL ALREADY BE HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN RECRUITED. SO I THINK YOU CAN STILL HARMONIZE BOTH OF THEM. IT IS A CONCERN. I THINK IT'S A THINK SOMETHING TO REALLY CONSIDER. BUT THAT'S WHY I TALKED ABOUT YOU HAVE A UNIQUE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IF WE HAVE TO WORK AROUND THAT, WE'RE GOING TO WORK AROUND THAT AND WE HAVE TO. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THAT IS HELPFUL BECAUSE THEN ANY CANDIDATE THAT'S POTENTIALLY RUNNING COULD GO TO THOSE TOURS OR GO TO THE OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU'RE SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT AND HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE JUST AS WE WOULD SO OF SYNTHESIZING. RIGHT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO IS WHEN WE DEVELOP THE CANDIDATE, PROFILE THE DATA, WE LEARN FROM THERE, WE ACTUALLY PUT IT IN THERE. SO WE WANT THE CANDIDATE TO KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING. SO WHEN WE GO TO A TOWN HALL AND WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND WE TAKE A BUNCH OF NOTES AND WE CONDENSE IT, WE LOOK AT IT, WE SUMMARIZE IT, WE PUT IT TOGETHER, WE GET BULLET POINTS, AND THEN WE PUT IT OUT FOR THE CANDIDATE. YOU KNOW, IN OUR LISTENING AND LEARNING TOUR, THE COMMUNITY SAID THIS IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE SURVEY OR FOCUS GROUP. THEY SAID THIS. AND SO THAT IS AVAILABLE PUBLICLY BECAUSE, ONE, YOU WANT ME TO MAKE SURE YOUR APPLICANT KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE WALKING INTO. ONE OF THE REASONS APPLICANTS DON'T LAST IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS IS WHEN THEY'RE HIT BY SURPRISES, WHEN THEY'RE WALKING IN. IF YOU SELL A KUMBAYA, A SITUATION AND IT'S NOT THAT YOU'VE ALREADY LOST YOUR TRUST FROM DAY ONE WHEN THEY WALK IN. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE HONEST AS A BOARD ABOUT BOTH YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND WHAT YOU NEED TO WORK ON IN ORDER FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO LAST. I'VE SEEN DETERIORATION OF BOARD SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONS HAPPEN VERY QUICKLY. NONE. NOT IN ANY SEARCH I'VE DONE. WE'LL BE CLEAR. ALL RIGHT. BUT BECAUSE THE SUPERINTENDENT WAS CAUGHT WITH SURPRISES, WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS SAYING THIS OR THIS WAS AN ISSUE. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY I LIKE TO PUT THAT IN OUR SEARCHES IN THERE. AWESOME. I HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION, THEN I'LL YIELD THE MICROPHONE. JUST AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION. COMMUNICATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY ON THIS AND UPDATING THEM ON THIS PROCESS IS GOING TO BE SUPER CRITICAL, I THINK, FOR US. WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO BE THERE. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO TO KNOW THAT AND TO FEEL THAT TRUST IN IN THE PROCESS AND TRANSPARENCY AND THE PROCESS. CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU STRUCTURED COMMUNICATION, REALIZING THAT IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL SEARCH AND OURS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT, BUT YOUR APPROACH TO HOW YOU HELP DISTRICTS COMMUNICATE THE PROCESS TRANSPARENTLY WITH THEIR CONSTITUENTS, OF COURSE. SO THERE'S TWO THINGS HERE. RIGHT. AND I DIDN'T I DIDN'T TOUCH ON IT IN THE PRESENTATION, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THERE, WHICH IS THE BOARD COMMUNICATION, RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. SO THE FIRST LINE OF COMMUNICATION IS WHEN YOU'RE AT THE GROCERY STORE AND SOMEONE ASK YOU, HEY, HOW'S THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH GOING? RIGHT? SO DO YOU KNOW HOW IT'S GOING, FIRST OF ALL? AND SO WE PROVIDE WEEKLY UPDATES FOR YOU. EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, I SHOOT OUT THE WEEKLY UPDATE RIGHT WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT'S NEXT? WHAT ARE OUR GOALS, WHEN'S OUR NEXT MEETING? ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. SO EVERY WEEKEND, BY THE TIME YOU GO INTO THE WEEKEND THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT SOMEWHERE, YOU HAVE GOTTEN AN UPDATE AND WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SEARCH? OH, WE'RE HERE THIS WEEK, WE'RE DOING THIS NEXT WEEK AND WE'RE DOING THAT. THAT'S THE FIRST LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS YOU. THE SECOND LINE OF COMMUNICATION TO THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO BE WHAT WE WANT TO PUT OUT AS RICHARDSON ISD. RIGHT. I WILL ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT SAYS SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH. WE WILL WORK WITH YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO UPLOAD RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THERE, SUCH AS TIMELINES, SURVEY LINKS, TOWN HALL DATES AND TIMES. IN ADDITION TO EVEN UPLOADING THE INFORMATION WE'RE LEARNING FROM THOSE AREAS. RIGHT. AND EVEN PUTTING BROADER INFORMATION, SUCH AS IF YOU WANT TO SHARE THE OUTCOME OF THE EMPLOYEE SURVEY. RIGHT. THEY'RE ALL CONFIDENTIAL. NO NAMES WOULD BE OUT THERE. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU GET FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES IS, DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR DISTRICT IS IN MORE NEED OF AN ACADEMIC SUPERINTENDENT OR AN OPERATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT? AND THAT'S ALWAYS REALLY INTERESTING BECAUSE SOMETIMES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE SAYING, RIGHT? SO WE GATHER ALL THIS DATA AND WE CAN ALWAYS KEEP A RELEVANT UPDATE ON OUR SEARCH ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE FOR THAT. ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU WANT, WE CAN ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA STEP WHERE WE COME RIGHT HERE TO THE MICROPHONE AND ANSWER TO YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY, PROVIDE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT THE WEEK THAT WE'RE SITTING WITH YOU. SO WE DO BELIEVE THAT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOUR COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. UM, YES. AND I WANTED TO KIND OF THANK YOU FOR THAT ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY COLLEAGUE TIMMY SAID, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE THINGS FOR ME THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND I AND I APPRECIATE YOU TOUCHING BASE I MEAN TOUCHING ON THIS IS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [00:55:04] I LOVE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU LOOK LIKE A DIVERSE TEAM AS WELL, FIRST OF ALL. AND IT'S GREAT THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SPEAK A SECOND LANGUAGE, WHICH IS SPANISH. HOW CAN YOU TELL ME HOW YOU WOULD HELP? I KNOW FOR LIKE FROM MY EXPERIENCE, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY PROVIDE SOMETHING AND PROVIDE TRANSLATION AND ALL OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. RIGHT? SO A LOT OF TIMES, LIKE NOT ONLY OUR LATINO COMMUNITY, OUR SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITY, BUT LET'S SAY WE HAVE A LARGE VIETNAMESE SPEAKING COMMUNITY, WE ALSO HAVE A LARGE MUSLIM COMMUNITY. SO CAN YOU TELL ME HOW HOW WOULD YOU TARGET THOSE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE THEM AWARE, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW THEY CAN HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD AND HOW THEY CAN COME TO THESE TOWN HALLS AND BE A PART OF THIS? THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL SAY IS THAT FIRST AND FOREMOST, OF COURSE, YOUR OWN SCHOOL COMMUNICATION TOOLS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE YOUR FIRST HAND WRITE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA, TWITTER, FACEBOOK. YOU ALL ARE GREAT ON TWITTER. YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE. I WAS SEARCHING THROUGH YOUR FEED RIGHT NOW WHEN I WAS COMING IN. AND YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND STUFF, VERY POWERFUL, RIGHT? IN ADDITION TO BEING POWERFUL, YOU CAN ALSO DO ADVERTISEMENTS ON THERE FOR THIS OUTREACH. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE 21ST CENTURY IS THAT IN FACEBOOK, YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAILOR FOR SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHICS. SO SPEAK LANGUAGES SPOKEN. SO I'M HAPPY TO BOTH ADVERTISE THROUGH FACEBOOK THESE TIMELINES, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PUT OUT THERE AND THAT THERE ARE THE SPANISH ADVERTISEMENT, THE ENGLISH ADVERTISEMENT AND ANY OTHER LANGUAGE ADVERTISEMENT THAT YOU NEED. SECOND OF ALL, OFTENTIMES IN COMMUNITIES WHERE YOU DO HAVE CONCENTRATIONS OF DIFFERENT, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR AREA COMMUNITY OR MUSLIM COMMUNITY OR YOUR VIETNAMESE COMMUNITY IS THERE'S PROBABLY A CHURCH THEY ALL GO TO. THERE'S PROBABLY A COMMUNITY CENTER THEY ALL DEAL WITH. AND SO IT'S GOING THERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WHERE WHERE ARE THEY? RIGHT. SO YOU GO TO WHERE THEY'RE AT. AND SO IF WE ARE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, WE'RE HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLICATION IS IN VIETNAMESE AND WE CAN SEND IT OVER TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER AND BE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS GOING ON JUST FYI. SO THAT'S ONE WAY WE WOULD DEFINITELY DO THAT. I LOVE THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR.. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU ONLY DO ONE SEARCH AT A TIME. SO I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S YOU DON'T YOU'VE GOT THREE BIDS GOING OUT AND THEN KIND OF FIRST IN LINE, FIRST TO ACCEPT GETS YOUR ATTENTION. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CLARIFICATION IS YOU ONLY WORK WITH ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME. SO CLARIFICATION, EVEN MORE CLARIFICATION. THIS IS THE ONLY BIDDER WE PUT OUT. I DON'T BID UNTIL ANOTHER DISTRICT UNTIL WE ARE DECLINED AT ANOTHER DISTRICT. SO RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE A BID IN ANY OTHER DISTRICT FOR THAT. WE WERE PUT DOWN IN A RECENT SEARCH THAT WAS PUT OUT IN YOUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICT, AND IT WASN'T UNTIL WE WERE OUT OF THE PLAY THERE PER SE THAT WE BEGAN LOOKING AT THE NEXT ONE. SO RIGHT NOW, SPEAKING RIGHT NOW, THIS IS THE ONLY BID THAT WE'VE SUBMITTED FOR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DO HAVE AN ONGOING SEARCH HAPPENING THAT IS CLOSING OUT. SO WE'RE DOING ROUND TWO INTERVIEWS ON MONDAY AND THEY'RE SELECTING THE LONE FINALIST ALREADY. SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE COMFORTABLY SAYING THAT THAT WE'RE WE'RE HERE TO WORK FOR YOU. OKAY. THAT IS THE FACT THAT JUST KIND OF SHOW THAT TO YOU ALL. THAT'S THE REASON THAT THREE OF OUR 14 TEAM CAME OUT TO TALK TO YOU. RIGHT. WE WANT TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THE ENTIRE ACCESS TO THE TEAM. SORRY TO REPEAT. YEAH, THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT WE BROUGHT OUT ALL THREE OF US, REALLY, IS TO COME OUT AND TALK TO YOU GUYS, GIVE YOU A GOOD FACE TO FACE AND GIVE YOU A GOOD KIND OF KNOWLEDGE BASE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE. YOU KNOW, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE REALLY DO JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON THE DISTRICT AND YEAH, JUST KIND OF MOVE FORWARD AND HELP OUT WITH WHAT WE LEARN HERE AND MOVING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU. AND GREG, THANKS. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. BECAUSE YOU SAID FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, I THINK THE MAIN THING THAT WE WANT TO DRIVE HOME IS TRANSPARENCY FOR US. THE CLEAN, SIMPLE, TRANSPARENT PROCESS THAT TAKES THE GUESSWORK OUT, PUTS THE ONUS ON YOU ALL TO DECIDE HOW THIS IS GOING TO LOOK. AND AND THAT'S AND WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DELIVER THAT. YES, SIR. MR. LIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ADDITIONAL? WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THERE OR NOT. YES, MA'AM. I'M HERE. SURE. I DON'T. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. I THOUGHT THEY DID A GREAT JOB. SURE. GREAT. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH. WE DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU'VE GIVEN US TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. SO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS GOING TO COME FROM HAZARD YUNG ATTIA AND ASSOCIATES. [01:00:11] ARE THEY VIRTUAL? OKAY. CAN YOU SEE ME? I DON'T THINK MY VIDEO IS ON. I DON'T THINK WE CAN, BUT I THINK WE'RE WE'RE WORKING ON IT. I'M GOING TO TRY TO. THERE WE GO. THERE YOU GO. YOU LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU WANT ME TO START. YOU ACTUALLY CAN START. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELL, THANK YOU. I CAN'T SEE ALL OF YOU, BUT. GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT HARRIS, IF YOU'RE THERE. ARE YOU THERE, PRESIDENT? I AM. THANK YOU FOR COMING. GREAT. THANKS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENDING BRANUM AND THE REST OF THE TRUSTEES. REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU'RE TAKING TODAY TO LISTEN TO FIRE AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN PARTNER TOGETHER TO FIND YOU THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT OF YOUR DISTRICT. SO A LITTLE BIT OUT OF THE ORDINARY ON THE VERY LAST PAGE OF OUR PRESENTATION, AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF YOU. I KNOW HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO FLIP TO IT. WHO'S WHOEVER IS DOING THE PRESENTATION HERE. BUT THE VERY LAST STATEMENT AND THE VERY LAST PAGE OF OUR PRESENTATION SAYS, WE ARE NOT WORKING ON ANY OTHER SEARCH IN TEXAS AT THIS TIME, AND WE PREFER IT THAT WAY. WE'LL NOT DOUBLE SLATE CANDIDATES. SO THAT HAS CHANGED. LAST NIGHT WE WERE AWARDED THE FORT WORTH SEARCH AND THUS WE ARE CHANGING THE TEAM THAT WE ARE PRESENTING FOR. RICHARDSON AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING WITH FIRE IS WE REALLY DO HAVE SUCH A DEEP BENCH OF INDIVIDUALS. SO THE TWO PEOPLE, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE FIRST SLIDE. AM I ALLOWED TO SHARE MY SCREEN AT ALL OR NOT AT ALL? PROBABLY NOT AT ALL. CORRECT. YEAH. WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT ON OUR END. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL SEND THIS TO YOU AS AS A AS A BACKUP. AFTER WE'RE DONE. WE'RE SUGGESTING THE TWO NEW ASSOCIATES SO THAT THERE IS NO OVERLAP BETWEEN FORT WORTH AND RICHARDSON. SO WE ARE PROPOSING MCCALEB. HE'S CURRENTLY A BOARD MEMBER AND THE PRESIDENT, THE LONGEST LASTING PRESIDENT IN COMPTON, CALIFORNIA. HE ALSO IS THE PRESIDENT EMERITUS OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF BLACK SCHOOL EDUCATORS. HE'S CHAIR OF THE COUNCIL OF URBAN BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LATINO ELECTED OFFICIALS. HE SERVES AS A BOARD MEMBER FOR BOTH THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION AND HIS LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD. HE'S ACTIVE IN LEGISLATION, EFFORTS TO BROADEN ACCESS FOR LOW INCOME CHILDREN, EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES AND ESTABLISHING SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTERS. MAYBE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS KNOW MCCAY FROM YOUR ASSOCIATION WITH THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING LOCAL DOCTOR JAMES MICHAEL LARGENT, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS JIM LARGENT. HE'S BEEN TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR AND IN FACT, HE WAS NOMINATED FOR THAT FOUR TIMES. HE WAS CITIZEN OF THE YEAR IN RUSK. HE HAS A KEY TO THE CITY IN GRANBURY. HE'S BEEN EVERYTHING FROM A TEACHER, COACH, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL AND SUPERINTENDENT WITH OVER 31 YEARS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. HE'S BEEN WORKING AS A CONSULTANT SINCE 2018, BUT HE DID TAKE AN INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT JUST IN 2021 WITH NEW BRONZE FIELD INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. HE'S ALSO AN AUTHOR OF BOYS BENEATH THE PINES, AND HE LIVES ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF FROM YOUR DISTRICT IN GRANBURY, TEXAS. NEXT SLIDE. SO YOU CAN SKIP THAT ONE. THANK YOU. SO WE'VE BEEN LEARNING A LOT ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT. AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT FINDING THE NEXT LEADER FOR YOUR DISTRICT IS REALLY THE BOARD'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ROLE. IT'S NOT JUST UNDERTAKING A HEADHUNTING JOB. THE WORK OF THE BOARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STAKEHOLDERS WANT IN THEIR NEXT LEADER AND THEN TO MATCH THOSE WISHES WITH A LEADER THAT IS THE BEST MATCH. AND WE KNOW FROM OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS THE BEST LEADER. THERE'S ONLY THE BEST LEADER FOR YOUR DISTRICT AND YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS. THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT WE SENT TO YOU WITH SOME OF THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE ON YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENTS AND GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. WE ALSO READ THE INFORMATION ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THE OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION IN THE NEWS. AND THROUGH INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE IN THE PAPERS, WE HAVE SEEN YOUR [01:05:03] STRATEGIC EFFORT TO DEFINE THE PROFILE OF A GRADUATE THROUGH YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND ALL OF THESE PIECES ENTER INTO WHAT IS THE MATCH THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR YOUR DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO OUR PROCESS IS FOUR PHASE ENGAGING, UNDERSTANDING YOUR COMMUNITIES DESIRES AND YOU'RE PART OF THAT COMMUNITY RECRUITING, BRINGING THE WIDEST RANGE OF CANDIDATES THAT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS. SELECTING, FACILITATING YOUR SELECTION PROCESS TO ARRIVE AT THE BEST MATCH AND FINALLY SUPPORTING THE NEW LEADER THROUGH TRANSITION SERVICES. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE ENGAGE PHASE IS ALL ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THE DESIRES OF YOUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF THE SEARCH PROCESS. WE EMPLOY A RESEARCH BASED APPROACH TO IDENTIFYING THE GOALS, NEEDS AND PRIORITIES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND THAT'S HOW WE HELP YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR COMMUNITY'S DESIRES AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO SELECT THE BEST MATCH THAT BEST LEADER FOR YOUR DISTRICT. NEXT SLIDE. THANK YOU. FOR OVER 35 YEARS. THE LARGE QUANTITY OF SEARCHES THAT OUR FIRM CONDUCTS PER YEAR REALLY DOES PUT US AT A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. THE SEARCH VOLUME PLACES OUR FIRM AND THE ASSOCIATES WITH VERY FREQUENT CONTACT WITH ALL THE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES, MANY OF WHOM MAY NOT EVEN BE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT. BUT WE KNOW THEM AS ASSOCIATES, AND THEY CAN BE RECRUITED WHEN POSITIONS ARISE. IN ADDITION TO THE LOCAL TEAM, HE HAS A NETWORK OF 120 PLUS ASSOCIATES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY ASSIST US IN OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE AGGRESSIVE, THOROUGH AND QUALITY ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOL BOARDS IN NEED OF IDENTIFYING AND RECRUITING HIGHLY QUALIFIED EXECUTIVES. AND WHEN IT COMES TO VETTING CANDIDATES, OUR NETWORK PROVIDES US WITH THE SECURE, ACCURATE, CRITICAL AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT CANDIDATES UNDER CONSIDERATION, INFORMATION THAT'S NOT PUBLIC, AND INFORMATION THAT ONLY INSIDERS CAN GIVE. I HOPE YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ACTIVE SERVICE PAGE. WE HAVE OVER 25,000 VIEWS A MONTH AND OVER 8000 ACTIVE ACCOUNTS THAT WE BLAST OUT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT YOUR JOB. IN ADDITION, WE ACCESS OUR NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS. OUR FIRM HAS ASSOCIATES THAT ARE PART OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, FROM AL US TO NAVY TO THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION. THIS IS HOW WE REACH LEADERS THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE THINKING ABOUT RICHARDSON AS A GREAT MATCH FOR THEM. AND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE KIND OF INFORMATION THAT WE GIVE YOU. SO OUR SURVEY REPORT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN BE PROUD OF TO PUBLISH. YOUR COMMUNITY TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PILLARS BASED ON EFFECTIVE SUPERINTENDENTS RESEARCH AND WHERE YOUR CONSTITUENTS THINK ARE THE CHALLENGES AND THE SUCCESSES OF YOUR DISTRICT. IN ADDITION, BY PLACING YOUR AD ON OUR ACTIVE SEARCHES WEBSITE AND POINTING ANY OTHER ADVERTISEMENTS THAT YOU SELECT TO IT, WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE ANALYTICS ON YOUR JOB POSTINGS. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW MANY JOBS HAS IT RECEIVED? HOW MUCH TIME HAS BEEN VIEWED? THIS IS ALL REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO KNOW IF YOUR ADVERTISING IS WORKING AND TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT YOUR JOB BUT MAY NOT BE APPLYING. IT LEADS TO IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PUBLISHED INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, SALARY, EXPECTATIONS AND BENEFITS. NEXT TIME. SO ABOUT OUR FIRM, WE'VE DONE OVER 4500 SEARCHES. AND AS I SAID, WE HAVE OVER 100 ASSOCIATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE A FULL TIME STAFF. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT BEING SAID. WE WORK WITH DISTRICTS FROM 100 STUDENTS TO 640,000 IN URBAN, SUBURBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL DISTRICTS. AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT RICHARDSON, YOU REALLY ARE AS BIG AS THE LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, AS THE SAN FRANCISCO, AS THE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. AND SO SOMETIMES BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ONE OF THOSE BIG CITIES THAT WE THINK OF ON A MAP, YOU REALLY ARE A VERY BIG CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT A FIRM HAS THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE. WE'VE PLACED SUPERINTENDENTS IN 47 OF THE 100 LARGEST, LARGEST DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY. AND JUST RECENTLY, LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE. WE'VE DONE DENVER IN HOUSTON, GREEN BAY, ATLANTA, TO NAME A FEW. OUR NATIONWIDE ASSOCIATES ASSURE THAT WE CAN. [01:10:01] ATTRACT AND RECRUIT THE BEST TALENT SPECIFICALLY FOR DISTRICTS OF YOUR SIZE. AND FINALLY, NOT ONLY DO OUR SEARCHES HAVE THIS KIND OF OVERSIGHT, BUT WE ARE A FULLY STAFFED PROFESSIONAL OFFICE WITH A TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN I.T. STAFF, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AS WE HELP WORK ON HOW THIS WILL BE PRESENTED ON YOUR WEBSITE AND HOW YOU WILL MAKE SURE THAT YOUR COMMUNITY KNOWS ABOUT ALL OF THE WORK THAT IS GOING ON. PERSONALLY, I'M NANCY PEREZ AND I WORK AS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. SO I'M INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE BIG CITY SEARCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WOULD BE INVOLVED IN YOUR SEARCH AS WELL. NEXT SLIDE. I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND WHAT'S REALLY MOST IMPORTANT. AND AS EDUCATORS, WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE LEADERS THAT ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY THEY'RE SERVING. AND SO WE WORK WITH THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND YOUR EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK SO WE CAN RECRUIT CANDIDATES WITH RECENT AND RELEVANT EXPERIENCE. WE COMMIT TO IDENTIFYING AND SUPPORTING AND PLACING SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERS THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN UNDERREPRESENTED. AND AS I SAID, WE DO HAVE ASSOCIATES THAT ARE IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS, SOME THAT LEAD THE URBAN SUPERINTENDENTS ACADEMY. AND THESE CONNECTIONS REALLY ARE ANOTHER IMPORTANT PART OF OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. LONG BEFORE THERE WAS COVID. WE REALLY HAVE A LONG, SUCCESSFUL HISTORY OF DOING ONLINE ENGAGEMENT, AND WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF BETTER PARTICIPATION WITH ONLINE COMMUNITIES JUST LIKE IT. WE'VE ALSO ALWAYS DONE A HYBRID APPROACH WHEN THAT'S APPROPRIATE, AND SO WE REALLY ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BEST MEDIUM IS, TO GET THE MOST INPUT FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS. AND OF COURSE, WE CAN FACILITATE ANY ON ANY BOARD INTERVIEWS WHERE YOU DO NOT WANT TO SEE THAT PERSON YET IN PERSON OR INCUR THE COST OF TRAVELING. THE THE BOARD ALWAYS HAS THAT DECISION TO MAKE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO REIMBURSE CANDIDATES FOR TRAVEL. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER NICE FEATURE OF THE ONLINE INTERVIEW. THE SELECT PHASE. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE SELECT PHASE CONSISTS OF PRESENTING YOU WITH A SLATE AND WE WORK WITH YOU TO DECIDE HOW MANY YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE. WE FACILITATE YOUR BOARD INTERVIEWS. WE HELP YOU WITH CREATING YOUR QUESTIONS, BUT MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE AND WE PERFORM DEEP BACKGROUND CHECKS. IN ADDITION, WE WILL ARRANGE SITE VISITS IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE. THE TRANSITION PHASE. NEXT SLIDE. SO WHEN YOU'RE DONE SELECTING YOUR NEW LEADER, WE DO NOT LEAVE YOU THE DAY THAT YOU APPOINT HER. WE HELP THE DISTRICT THROUGH THE TRANSITION. WE BEGIN BY MEETING WITH THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD LEADERSHIP TO GO OVER INFORMATION THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGHOUT THE SEARCH. WE KNOW THAT APPOINTING A NEW LEADER IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHING ORGANIZATIONAL AND STUDENT GOALS FOR SUCCESS AND NEWLY APPOINTED LEADERS. WHILE THEY NEED TO BE PROVIDED WITH SUPPORT SERVICES TO BE EFFECTIVE IN THEIR ROLE AND BOARDS OF EDUCATION NEED THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO GOVERN THE PROGRESS OF THEIR NEW SUPERINTENDENT. WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BOARD AND ITS NEW LEADER FAR BEYOND RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION. WE PARTNER WITH DISTRICTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY IN AREAS OF BOARD GOVERNANCE, SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION AND LONG RANGE STRATEGIC PLANNING. NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE A GREAT TECHNOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND YOU WILL HAVE ANYWHERE, ANYTIME CURRENT ACCESS TO ALL SEARCH MATERIALS IN ONE PLACE. THE PORTAL WILL PROVIDE YOU INFORMATION THAT IS CRITICAL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AS A BOARD MEMBER. AND WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND THE DISTRICT TO BE ABLE TO LINK AND PRESENT THINGS ON YOUR WEBSITE THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE SEARCH PROCESS. NEXT SLIDE. EVEN THOUGH WE'VE PRESENTED A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES IN SEARCH, OUR COMMITMENT IS THAT THIS IS YOUR PROCESS AND IT'S ALWAYS CUSTOMIZABLE TO YOUR NEEDS AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS AT ONE OF OUR VERY FIRST MEETINGS, WE CALL IT OUR PLANNING MEETING TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS YOUR SEARCH AND NOT JUST A COOKIE CUTTER SEARCH. NEXT SLIDE. WE PROVIDED YOU WITH A POSSIBLE CALENDAR. WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ENGAGED FACE TO END IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY. RECRUITMENT DONE AND A SLATE PRESENTED IN MIDDLE JUNE WITH THE SELECTION OF A LONE FINALIST BY JUNE 30TH WITH THEN THE APPOINTMENT OF ABLE TO HAPPEN 21 DAYS AFTER THAT SOMETIME AT THE END OF JULY. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE CALENDAR, BUT WE THINK IT IS DOABLE. [01:15:03] NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF DIFFERENT REFERENCES. WE HAVE MORE ON OUR WEBSITE. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT TEN OF THE 15 SEARCHES LISTED HERE RESULTED WITH EITHER A FEMALE OR OF AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, FOUR OF THEM OR A LATINO THREE OF THEM. FOR EACH OF THESE SEARCHES, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE CHOSEN AS SUPERINTENDENTS DID NOT APPLY FOR THE JOB HIRE RECRUITED THEM. NEXT SLIDE. ARE GUARANTEES. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO BE WITH YOU UNTIL YOU'RE SATISFIED. OUR FIRM WILL EXTEND EVEN BEYOND THE FIRST YEAR INTO A SECOND YEAR IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE CANDIDATE THAT YOU SELECTED. WE HAVE A HANDS OFF SUPERINTENDENT APPROACH TO ANYONE THAT WE APPOINT AND WILL NOT RECRUIT THEM FOR ANY OTHER JOB FOR THREE YEARS. AND REMEMBER, WE HAVE A PRICE MATCH GUARANTEE FOR COMPARABLE LEVELS OF SERVICE. NEXT SLIDE. NEXT SLIDE. SO. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HERE TODAY AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU AND FOR YOU, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO ASSURE THAT YOUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY HAVE A LEADER WHO SHARES YOUR CORE VALUES AND IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR YOUR DISTRICT'S CURRENT NEEDS AND YOUR FUTURE ASPIRATIONS. AND THAT AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY THAT YOU HAVE AS BOARD MEMBERS TO UNDERSTAND YOUR STAKEHOLDERS DESIRES AND TO FIND THE LEADER THAT IS THE BEST MATCH FOR YOUR DISTRICT. WITH OVER 35 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, A VAST NETWORK OF ASSOCIATES, A DISCIPLINED RESEARCH BASED PROCESS, A FOCUS ON ANALYTICS AND COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY. WE KNOW WE'LL EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS, AND WE REALLY WOULD WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY, AND I'D LOVE TO TAKE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, COLLEAGUES, THIS TIME. IS IT OKAY IF WE START WITH MISS TIMMY? YES, ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, NANCY. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. IN REFERENCE TO SWITCHING THE TEAM, CAN YOU TELL ME WITH THE TWO NEW ASSOCIATES THAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING AS FAR AS THEIR EXPERIENCE AND SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES JUST EACH ONE OF THEM AND HOW MANY THEY'VE CONDUCTED SUCCESSFULLY? SO JIM LARGENT CURRENTLY HAD HIS OWN PRIVATE PRACTICE BEFORE COMING INTO HIRE LAST YEAR, WHERE HE HAS DONE MANY SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES IN HIS OWN PRIVATE PRACTICE. HE THEN FOLDED INTO HIRE AND HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM WORKING IN WORKING AND SHADOWING DIFFERENT TEAMS. AS HE LEARNED SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR PROCESS AND THE PROCESS THAT HE UNDERTOOK WHEN HE WAS IN A FIRM OF HIS OWN. AND MIKAYLA LEE HAS NOT BEEN A PART OF ANY SPECIFIC SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH WITH A, BUT HE HAS HELPED BOARDS THROUGH THEIR SUPERINTENDENT SEARCHES AND THE MENTORING THAT HE DOES. AND WE REALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GREAT BALANCE BETWEEN HAVING SOMEBODY THAT HAS THAT BOARD EXPERIENCE AND THAT BOARD LENS AND ALSO SOMEONE THAT HAS THE SUPERINTENDENT LENS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH LENS. AGAIN, I ALSO COME TO THE TABLE WITH MANAGEMENT OF EVERY LARGE SEARCH THAT WE DO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YEP. MR. LYNN. HI, NANCY. HOW ARE YOU? HI. SO MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AS IT RELATES TO CREATING A CANDIDATE PROFILE. AND I COULD I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T APOLOGIZE. I COULD NOT SEE THE TIME FRAME THAT YOU GUYS WERE PROPOSING ON THE SCREEN. IT POPPED UP AND THEN AND THEN POPPED OFF PRETTY QUICKLY. BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT IT'S PRETTY. THERE WE GO. OKAY. SO YOU'RE BASICALLY JUST LOOKING AT ABOUT I GUESS IT'S ABOUT TWO AND A HALF WEEKS OR SO, IF I'M LOOKING AT IT CORRECTLY, ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. SO WITH THE ONLINE SURVEY AND THEN FOCUS GROUPS, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, THAT'S IF WE WANT TO HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT PLACE WITH ALL THE REQUIREMENTS THAT EXIST IN TEXAS BY THE SUMMER AND READY FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR. HOWEVER, IN TWO WEEKS, A LOT CAN BE DONE. SOMETIMES IT'S THROUGH TOWN HALL MEETINGS WHERE YOU HAVE A MORE LARGER AUDIENCE COME TOGETHER THAT IS ABLE TO LISTEN TO SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEARCH, ABOUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THEN HAVE TIME TO GIVE SOME COMMENT. SOMETIMES IT'S INTERVIEWS WHERE WE'LL PUT OTHER ASSOCIATES ON, WHERE WE INTERVIEW KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT MAY BE LEADERS OF CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS IN YOUR COMMUNITY. [01:20:01] SIMULTANEOUSLY, FOCUS GROUPS CAN BE GOING ON, WHETHER IT BE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY. AND THEN THE SURVEY WE WOULD LAUNCH RIGHT AWAY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN OUR SURVEY WE DO NOT JUST ASK ABOUT ATTRIBUTES OF THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. WE REALLY DOVE INTO WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND PERCEIVED DEFICIENCIES OF THE DISTRICT SO THAT YOU GET INFORMATION AND WE PUT THEM INTO FOUR DIFFERENT PILLARS IN THE REPORT THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE. WELL, IF THIS IS THE THE PERCEPTIONS OF OUR OF OUR DISTRICT AND THIS IS WHERE WE NEED TO PLACE SOME EFFORT, WE SHOULD LOOK FOR A SUPERINTENDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT MAY HAVE MORE OF A FINANCE BACKGROUND OR MAY HAVE MORE OF A CURRICULUM BACKGROUND, DEPENDING ON WHAT SOME OF THOSE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT THE FUTURE DIRECTION IS OF THE DISTRICT IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS. SO I THINK YOU WOULD FIND THAT THE THE SURVEY REPORT, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH A SAMPLE OF THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL. OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT YOU PROBABLY EXPECT THIS, BUT RSG HAS A VERY ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS ALREADY AND WE RELY A LOT ON LISTENING TO OUR PARENTS AND LISTENING TO OUR KIDS AND LISTENING TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS. AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WE TAKE A GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE IN. AND SO I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY KEY ELEMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD. SO REGARDLESS OF THE TIME FRAME, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE AT LEAST I FEEL LIKE WE PROBABLY NEED TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO AS WE MOVE FORWARD. AND I THINK IT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS YOU'RE INTERVIEWING MANY FIRMS AND IT'S IT SPEAKS VOLUMES THAT YOU WANT YOUR COMMUNITY TO TO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY THAT'S LISTENING TO THEM, THAT'S BRINGING IN THE INFORMATION, THAT'S PROVIDING THE BOARD WITH REPORTS, AND THAT IT ISN'T JUST YOU KIND OF THINKING ABOUT OR INTERVIEWING AND LISTENING, BUT WITH AND THROUGH SOME SORT OF LENS. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE BENEFITS, WHETHER IT BE OUR FIRM OR ANY OTHER FIRM IN HAVING THAT THIRD PARTY. AND AGAIN, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CAN BE AS EXPANSIVE AS YOU WANT IT TO BE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY WORK WITH THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT MIRRORS THE WORK THAT YOU'VE ALREADY DONE AND COMPLEMENTS IT, RATHER THAN FEEL LIKE THIS OUTSIDE PIECE THAT REALLY IS DISJOINTED FROM THE VALUES THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PRESENTED TO YOUR COMMUNITY. GREAT. THANKS, NANCY. THANKS. NANCY, THIS IS THIS IS REGINA HARRIS. AND MY QUESTION I'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT IN REGARDS TO REACHING OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS. MINE IS IN REFERENCE TO WHAT IS YOUR PHILOSOPHY ON JUST ENGAGING OUR STAFF, OUR TEACHERS, GETTING THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR FEEDBACK IN THIS SEARCH PROCESS? YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SAFE SPACE TO REVEAL THEMSELVES, AND THAT MEANS A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN COME TOGETHER AND NOT FEEL THAT THEIR BOSSES ARE WATCHING THEM. AND YOU'LL GET VERY, VERY GOOD AND INSIGHTFUL INFORMATION IF YOU ALLOW FOR THAT SPACE TO EXIST. WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH YOU TO ENSURE THAT THOSE PUBLISHED MEETINGS ARE NOT TAKEN OVER BY THE MEDIA OR MEDIA COME INTO THEM, OR THEN THE WHOLE THING DOESN'T WORK WHERE NO ONE WILL REVEAL THEMSELVES. AND SO IT REALLY IS IMPORTANT FOR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS TO HAVE A VOICE THAT IS AUTHENTIC AND THAT YOU HEAR ANONYMOUSLY. OTHERWISE, YOU REALLY WILL BE OPERATING THROUGH A VEIL THAT ISN'T TRUE. AND WE REALLY WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON MAKING SURE THAT WE WORK WITH YOU TO PROVIDE THAT SPACE FOR THAT KIND OF DIALOG AND THAT KIND OF INFORMATION TO COME FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO, MS.. BARRIS OR NANCY, HOW ARE YOU? THIS IS. YEAH, THIS IS MS. RENTERÍA. I DID WANT TO ASK I SAW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR YOUR STAFF AND WHO WAS THERE. AND I WANTED TO KNOW HOW HOW DIVERSE IS YOUR STAFF? AGAIN, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED EARLIER WAS, I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH A DIVERSE COMMUNITY. RIGHT. BEING ABLE TO GET NOT ONLY THE INFORMATION OUT, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT COMMUNITY. SO I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S LIKE, DO YOU HAVE A BILINGUAL STAFF? DO YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE ON THERE WHO WOULD COME ON HERE AND BE ABLE TO REALLY CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY? SO. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S WHY THERE ARE OFTEN DIFFERENT ASSOCIATES THAT WE BRING IN FOR DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE PROCESS. WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY'RE AROUND PEOPLE THAT THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH. AND SO WE HAVE, OF COURSE, HAD EVERYTHING FROM BILINGUAL INDIVIDUALS IN OUR ENGAGED [01:25:06] PHASE, AND WE DO HAVE BILINGUAL ASSOCIATES. WE EVEN BRING IN WHAT WE CALL CONTRIBUTORS THAT CAN ACCESS A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WORK ALONGSIDE A SENIOR HIGH ASSOCIATE, BUT ARE THERE TO ENGAGE AND MAKE YOUNGER PEOPLE, YOUNGER PARENTS FEEL COMFORTABLE IN AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION NO MATTER. NO MATTER WHAT THE GROUP IS, WE SHOULD BE MINDFUL OF WHO WE'RE PUTTING IN FRONT OF THEM AND TRY TO PUT AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT AND MAKE THAT GROUP FEEL COMFORTABLE. IT'S REALLY NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I TALKED ABOUT WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE TEACHERS. IT HAS TO BE A SAFE SPACE. AND, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY ABOUT STUDENTS, IF YOU ASK STUDENTS ABOUT THEIR BELIEFS AND WHAT THEY WANT, THEY WILL REVEAL THEMSELVES. AND SO TOO WILL YOUR COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY FEEL IT'S AUTHENTIC AND IT'S REAL AND IT'S SAFE. SO WE CAN WORK WITH THE BOARD TO DECIDE WHAT THAT RIGHT MATCH WOULD BE BASED ON THE DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS OR INTERVIEWS THAT YOU WANT TO ENGAGE IN. THANK YOU. AND THEN JUST TO KIND OF EXTEND FROM THAT, YOU WERE SAYING THAT YOU WOULD PUT THE RIGHT ASSOCIATES OR SOMEONE HERE. ARE THOSE ALL LIKE FROM WITHIN TEXAS OR DO THEY COME FROM JUST OUTSIDE OF TEXAS? AND JUST WONDERING, LIKE WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE ASSOCIATES IN TEXAS, BUT WE DO RELY ON OUR NETWORK. WE TRY TO BE AS GEOGRAPHIC AS WE CAN. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE GOING TO WANT TO BRING IN SOMEONE THAT IS REALLY A LOT OF STATURE IN DALLAS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH DALLAS WHERE WE HAVE PLACE THAT'S THE ASSOCIATION OF LATINO SUPERINTENDENTS. WE'VE PLACED THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE LAST ONE AND THE ONES BEFORE THAT. WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM WHERE WE DO THAT FOR THEM AT NO COST. TWO OF OUR ASSOCIATES ARE ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND LEAD THEIR URBAN SUPERINTENDENTS ACADEMY THROUGH THE RSA, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS. AND SO I REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THEY'RE CLOSE. THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A VERY GOOD FIT TO SPANISH SPEAKING INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY HAVE A LOT OF STATURE WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY AS LATINO WOMEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, THANK YOU, MISS PEREZ. AND YOU COULD SEE THEM ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE IF YOU CLICK ASSOCIATE. YOU CAN ALSO LOOK FOR THEM THERE. THEY'RE IN THE CALIFORNIA REGION. AND I CAN ALSO EMAIL YOU THEIR NAMES SO THAT YOU CAN REMEMBER THEM. IT'S MARIA. ART IS ONE OF THEM. AND CARMELA FRANCO. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. THIS ALSO WORKED IN TEXAS BEFORE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I THINK MR. IGER HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU. AND HI, NANCY. HOW ARE YOU? HI. LISTEN, YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT TWO OR THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, AND ONE OF THEM IS THAT YOU REFER TO ASSOCIATES AND THAT THERE'S A 100 PLUS ASSOCIATES. CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT DOES A TYPICAL ASSOCIATE LOOK LIKE? AND IS IT ARE THEY STAFF MEMBERS? ARE THEY. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT ASSOCIATES MEAN WITHIN HAZARD. AND THEN I'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT JUST JUST AGAIN FOR CLARIFICATION AND UNDERSTANDING THE TEAMS THAT YOU BRING TO BEAR. YES. SO A IS A NETWORK OF INDEPENDENT EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS. WE DO WORK IN AREAS OF LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING EXECUTIVE SEARCH, STRATEGIC PLANNING, CURRICULUM WORK, EQUITY WORK DEPENDING ON WHAT OUR ASSOCIATES EXPERTIZE ARE. ACQUIRE PROVIDES THE INTEGRATED WAY THAT OUR ASSOCIATES CONNECT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND ARE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER UNDER ONE UMBRELLA TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER'S WORK. AND SO IN THAT NETWORK OF PROFESSIONALS, WE HAVE ASSOCIATES. THEY ARE EXCLUSIVE TO HIRE THAT WORK ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. MANY OF THEM ARE DEDICATED ONLY TO SEARCH, BUT THERE ARE MANY THAT DO WORK WELL BEYOND EXECUTIVE SEARCH. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW THAT THAT DOES FOLLOW UP? YEAH. YEAH. NO, THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MANY SEARCHES ARE YOU CONDUCTING RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY IN TEXAS OR I MEAN, JUST GIVE US A BALLPARK IF YOU CAN. SO RIGHT NOW, WE JUST GOT FORT WORTH, AND AT ANY TIME YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AND GO TO THE EXHIBIT, GO TO THE ACTIVE SEARCHES PAGE, AND YOU WILL SEE EVERY SEARCH THAT WE'RE WORKING ON. WE ALSO POST EVERY SINGLE SUPERINTENDENCY OPENING IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY [01:30:04] BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERY CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY TO HAVE A GREAT LEADER. AND WE WANT ALL THE LEADERS TO KNOW WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE. ANYTHING LOWER THAN A SUPERINTENDENT PEOPLE DO HAVE TO PAY TO POST ON OUR WEBSITE. AND WHAT THAT REALLY DOES IS IT GETS TONS OF EYES ON OUR SITE AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. IT'S ALSO WHEN YOU GO TO OTHER SEARCH WEBSITES, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF WORK, BUT IT'S EXPIRED, RIGHT? IT'S TWO YEARS OLD OR IT'S ALREADY CLOSED AND THEY'RE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. WE DROP EVERY SEARCH OFF OF OUR PLATFORM, WHETHER IT BE ANOTHER SEARCH FIRMS, A SCHOOL BOARDS, OURS OR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHEN THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS DONE. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY KIND OF GREAT FOR SCHOOL BOARDS TO BE ABLE TO GO TO A WEBSITE AND KIND OF SEE WHAT LIKE WHAT'S YOUR COMPETITION, RIGHT? LIKE HOW MANY SEARCHES ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW IN THE COUNTRY, HOW MANY ARE GOING ON IN TEXAS? AND YOU CAN LITERALLY GO AND JUST SEARCH FOR TEXAS SEARCHES THAT ARE GOING ON, SEE WHICH ONES ARE OURS, AND ALSO SEE WHAT OTHER ONES ARE GOING ON. ALSO, YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH BY SIZE BECAUSE SUPERINTENDENTS USUALLY LOOK FOR POSITIONS THAT ARE WITHIN A CERTAIN SIZE OF A DISTRICT THAT THEY HAVE EXPERIENCE IN. AND SO YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH BY SIZE AND SEE HOW MANY SEARCHES ARE GOING ON AROUND YOU IN THE 30 TO 60000 STUDENT RANGE. SO RIGHT NOW ON THE WEBSITE, I SEE ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 SEARCHES IN TEXAS. SO THERE'S QUITE A FEW GOING ON RIGHT NOW. THE ONE THAT WE HAVE IS FORT WORTH. YOU ALSO HAVE A VERY, VERY ROBUST LOCAL ORGANIZATION WHERE YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION DOES SEARCHES ALSO IN TEXAS. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S ALSO DOESN'T EXIST IN EVERY OTHER STATE. THAT'S NEITHER GOOD NOR BAD. IT'S JUST PART OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS AND WHAT THAT WHAT THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS LIKE IN TEXAS. OKAY. WELL, GREAT. IN. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU, MR. YEAR. MR. BOTTI. YES, THANK YOU. SO I'D ASKED AND I'M ASKING SOME OF THE SAME QUESTIONS, BUT THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO ME. I SEE SOME OF THE GUARANTEES ON HERE. AND AND I REALIZED THAT THAT'S PART OF THE AGREEMENT THAT WE'LL HAVE. BUT CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH AND I'M KIND OF SPECIFICALLY TARGETING TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT PLACEMENTS. CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH WHAT THE HOW MANY OF THOSE GUARANTEES HAVE HAD TO BE EXECUTED? MEANING I'M KIND OF BACKING INTO DO WE DO YOU ALL HAVE A HISTORY OF PLACING SUPERINTENDENTS THAT STAY LONG TERM OR HAVE YOU HAD TO EXECUTE THOSE GUARANTEES? AND THAT'S FIRST FIRST QUESTION. THEN I'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU THE SECOND TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT. YOU HAD MENTIONED THE HANDS OFF GUARANTEE. SO ONCE YOU PLACE THE SUPERINTENDENT, YOU GUARANTEE THREE YEARS. BUT I JUST WANT SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT AS WELL. THANK YOU. SO IN YEAR ONE, WE'LL WORK AGAIN FOR THE BOARD FOR ANY REASON THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT NO LONGER IS GOING TO BE IN THE DISTRICT. WE'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE UNFORTUNATELY A SUPERINTENDENT HAS COME DOWN WITH A REAL, REAL SERIOUS ILLNESS AND THEY'RE GOING TO RESIGN. WE'VE PLACED INTERIMS IN THAT PLACE AND FOR THE DISTRICT AND OF IMMEDIATELY STARTED A NEW SEARCH AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE DISTRICT. SOMETIMES AFTER YEAR ONE IT ISN'T A MATCH. AND WHETHER IT BE BECAUSE THERE'S A NEW BOARD ELECTION AND A WHOLE NEW BOARD THAT COMES IN THAT WANTS THEIR OWN SUPERINTENDENT, IF IT'S IN YEAR ONE, WE WILL WORK WITH THE BOARD TO TO REPLACE AND PLACE A NEW SUPERINTENDENT IN YEAR TWO. WE DO GIVE THE CAVEAT THAT IT IS IF IT WAS, THE SEPARATION IS DUE TO DISSATISFACTION AND THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BOARD IS IN PLACE. WE GUARANTEE OUR WORK. WE THINK OUR PROCESS DOES A EXCELLENT JOB OF MATCHING THE RIGHT SUPERINTENDENT WITH THE NEEDS OF YOUR COMMUNITY. AND WE STAND BEHIND THAT. WHAT WE CAN'T STAND BEHIND PAST YEAR ONE IS THE POLITICS, A CHANGING BOARD, OTHER REASONS THAT A SUPERINTENDENT MAY LEAVE LIKE THEIR WIFE GOT A NEW JOB OR THEIR HUSBAND OR PARTNER IS MOVING TO A NEW STATE. IT'S ABOUT DISSATISFACTION. AND SO IF THE BOARD CAN SHOW US THAT THEY ARE DISSATISFIED, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU EVEN IN YEAR TWO AND WORK WITH YOU FOR A NEW SUPERINTENDENT. THE HANDS OFF APPROACH. [01:35:01] WE SAY THREE YEARS BECAUSE THAT'S USUALLY THE LENGTH OF A FIRST YEAR SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT. IF YOU WANT TO COMMIT TO SOMETHING LONGER THAN THAT, WE'LL COMMIT TO SOMETHING LONGER THAN THAT. WE DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR US TO RECRUIT CANDIDATES AWAY FROM A SCHOOL THAT WE'VE RECENTLY PLACED SOMEONE IN. WE KNOW AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS THAT IN ORDER FOR ANY KIND OF EFFECTIVE IMPROVEMENT TO HAPPEN, IT HAS TO TAKE PLACE OVER TIME. AND RESEARCH WILL SHOW THAT THAT'S AT LEAST TWO YEARS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS IN OUR IN OUR NATION'S SCHOOLS ARE A CHURN. AND THAT REALLY IS A PROBLEM, NOT FOR THE COMMUNITY, BUT FOR THE STUDENTS, MORE IMPORTANTLY. AND SO WE JUST AS WE PLACE EVERY SUPERINTENDENT AD ON OUR ON OUR WEBSITE, WHETHER IT'S OUR SEARCH FIRM OR ANOTHER ONE, THERE IS AN ALTRUISTIC SIDE TO HIRE WHERE WE BELIEVE ULTIMATELY THAT WE ARE WORKING FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THIS NATION. AND IT WOULD BE VERY INAPPROPRIATE TO PLACE A LEADER AND THEN TAKE THEM AWAY WITHIN THEIR FIRST TENURE. OKAY. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND SOME CONTEXT AROUND THE GUARANTEE. I HAD ASKED HOW PREVALENT THAT IS, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THOSE VARIABLES ARE OUTSIDE THE CONTROL OF YOUR FIRM. BUT THAT'S PREVALENT, TO BE HONEST. I MEAN, WE HAD ONE THIS YEAR AND IT WAS ACTUALLY DUE TO AN ILLNESS. OKAY, GREAT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YEAH. THIS IS MEGAN TO MEGAN. JUST I JUST HAD ONE MORE QUESTION. AGAIN, I THINK FOR US AS A BOARD, I THINK COMMUNICATION TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THE TRANSPARENCY OF THE PROCESS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US. WE WANT TO WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN THIS AND FOUND THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB. SO I'M WONDERING WITH YOUR FIRM HOW YOU GUYS APPROACH THAT COMMUNICATION, HOW YOU KEEP OUR COMMUNITY ABREAST OUTSIDE. I HEARD YOU MENTION A WEBSITE AND THOSE THINGS, AND THAT'S GREAT. IN ADDITION TO THAT AND HOW YOU WOULD WORK WITH US IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION APPROPRIATE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY AND TIMEFRAMES AROUND THAT. SO WE REALLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DEVOTE AN ENTIRE PAGE ON YOUR WEBSITE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS SO THAT IT IS VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHO IS DOING IT, WHO THEY CAN CONTACT, MEANING THE ACTUAL PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAILS OF ASSOCIATES, HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED THROUGH DIFFERENT FOCUS GROUPS OR TOWN HALL MEETINGS. IN TERMS OF THE SURVEY BLASTING THAT OUT THROUGH YOUR SYSTEM, IN TERMS OF HOW YOU DO YOUR BULK EMAIL SYSTEM, SOMETIMES SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALSO WILL HAVE A CALL SYSTEM AS WELL. AND SO WE WORK TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE CURRENT SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS RELY ON TO GET INFORMATION AND UTILIZE THOSE? BECAUSE THAT'S ALREADY A WAY THAT PEOPLE KNOW AND GO TO FOR INFORMATION. OF COURSE, IF THE IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS WHERE YOU HAVE A TWITTER, OF COURSE, BUT IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS THAT YOU UTILIZE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THEM OUT THROUGH THERE. WE PUT IT OUT AS WELL. YEAH. AND ALSO, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD HAVE LINKS TO THE ASSOCIATES THAT ARE ON YOUR JOB ON OUR WEBSITE THAT ALSO GIVE THEIR BIOS AND AND PHONE NUMBERS AND EMAIL ADDRESSES. AND SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF IMPORTANT FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE CURRENT MODES OF COMMUNICATION AND HOW CAN WE LEVERAGE THOSE. THE LOCAL PAPERS ARE ALSO VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. MANY NON PARENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS REALLY RELY ON THEIR LOCAL PAPERS TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND SO THAT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THE SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH PROCESS. AND USUALLY THAT'S NOTHING MORE THAN WORKING WITH YOUR WHOEVER'S IN CHARGE OF YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET A EMAIL WITH THE LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE THAT DETAILS EVERYTHING ABOUT THE SEARCH. AND SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE SOME COMMUNITIES THAT GO AS FAR AS TO ACTUALLY SEND OUT A HARD PHYSICAL FLIER OF, HEY, DID YOU KNOW THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR DISTRICT? THERE ARE WAYS FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE AND SO WE CAN WORK WITH YOU. AND WE HAVE TEMPLATES FOR ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS. WE HAVE SAMPLE LETTERS THAT THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TO INVITE PEOPLE TO TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR FOCUS GROUPS AND COULD HELP YOU CRAFT THAT LANGUAGE. AND SO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THAT WE DECIDED, THE PLANNING MEETING IS THE RIGHT WAY TO MAKE SURE WE WE REACH OUT TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF OF YOUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CURRENT THINGS EXIST AND TO LEVERAGE THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THEN I PERSONALLY JUST HAVE ONE LAST QUESTION. YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO US. WE HAVE OPEN BOARD SEATS AND ALSO AN ELECTION HAPPENING. AND SO I THINK FOR US, WE WANT TO BE SURE THAT THAT EACH AREA IS IS FULLY REPRESENTED [01:40:08] IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL. SO, AGAIN, THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN HAVE TRUST AND THE TRANSPARENCY OF THAT PROCESS. I SAW YOUR SAMPLE TIMELINE THERE ALSO, OF COURSE, WOULD BE WE HAVE THE ELECTION MAY 7TH, BUT THERE'S ALSO A POTENTIAL RUNOFF. WOULD I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT EVEN IF WE HAD INITIAL PIECES THAT WE COULD STRUCTURE THE PROCESS AROUND DOING THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WHILE ALSO WAITING FOR PARTS OF IT IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL BOARD OF REPRESENTATION. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW, I PUT TOGETHER A SHEET IN FRONT OF ME WHERE I HAVE ALL OF YOUR NAMES AND AND AND PICTURES AND WHAT DISTRICT YOU'RE FROM. AND SO I, I UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF REACHING OUT AND THE REPRESENTATION THAT YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF THE DISTRICT, DIFFERENT DISTRICT AREAS. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU NEED TO REACH OUT. YOU HAVE 28% OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS. YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT ETHNIC COMPOSITIONS FROM ALMOST 40% LATINO TO 22% AFRICAN AMERICAN AND AND 55 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY EXTENSIVE. BUT A LOT OF THAT WORK THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE LIKE THE BOARD MEMBER IS. AND SO REALLY DOING THE WORK OF REACHING THE PARENTS, THE COMMUNITY, THE TEACHERS, THE ADMINISTRATORS, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHO'S SITTING ON THE BOARD LEVEL. THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE INFORMATION THAT THE EVENTUAL BOARD WHO MAKES THE DECISION IS GOING TO UTILIZE TO FIND THAT PERFECT MATCH. AND SO THERE'S NO REASON WHY ALL OF THAT WORK CAN'T BE DONE. AND THE MINUTE WE WOULD BE HIRED, WE START RECRUITING, RIGHT? WE START SEEING WHO'S OUT THERE. WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WE DEVELOP THE ACTUAL LEADERSHIP PROFILE, THE DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS TO START SEEING WHO HAS THE SKILLS AND WHO'S THE RIGHT MATCH. BUT WE'RE PUTTING THINGS OUT ON OUR NETWORK RIGHT NOW BECAUSE LET'S FACE IT, YOU GUYS ARE LATE IN THE PROCESS. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED ALL OF THE HELP YOU CAN GET AND THE LARGEST NETWORK YOU CAN TO GET SOMEBODY IN PLACE FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS WE'RE ALREADY CONTRACTED WITH FOR A YEAR FROM JULY ONE. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE THAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE HIRING A FIRM IS WHO'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND RECRUIT FOR US, BECAUSE IT'S A TIGHT TIMELINE. IT'S AN AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE. AS YOU SAID, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DELAY FOR A WHILE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A NEW BOARD ON THAT FEELS INVESTED IN THE PROCESS AND PART OF DECIDING WHO THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT IS. AND THAT'S ALL BEING DONE AS A LOT OF SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PLACED FOR JULY ONE. AND SO WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS OUT THROUGHOUT OUR NETWORK AND START TALKING TO OUR ASSOCIATES THAT HAVE SEEN OTHER CANDIDATES IN ALL THE SEARCHES THAT WE'RE DOING THAT HAVE WORKED FOR SIMILAR DISTRICTS WITH SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS, SIMILAR SIZE, AND START START PUTTING TOGETHER WHO WE THINK WE CAN RECRUIT AFTER WE SEE THE LEADERSHIP PROFILE. THAT REALLY DOES MATTER. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE SOME SECRET LISTS OF PEOPLE WE'RE HOPING TO PLACE, BUT WE ALSO KNOW HOW AGGRESSIVE THIS TIMELINE IS. AND IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FIRM THAT'S GOT A VERY BROAD REACHING NETWORK. THANK YOU. COLLEAGUES. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? MR. LEON, I KNOW YOU'RE BEHIND ME, BUT LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. I'M GOOD TO GO. ALL RIGHT, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR LAST ONE, WE'RE GOOD. SO OUR LAST PRESENTATION WILL BE FROM RAY AND ASSOCIATES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO REACH OUT. AND I WILL ALSO BE FOLLOWING UP WITH THE PICTURES AND BIOS OF DR. LARGENT AND MR. ALI, AS WELL AS A SAMPLE OF OUR SURVEY REPORT. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND GOOD LUCK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THE RIGHT CHOICE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BYE BYE. GOOD AFTERNOON. YOU GUYS READY? WE ARE READY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU AS WELL. AWESOME. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT HARRIS AND ESTEEMED TRUSTEES. AS A RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME AND YOUR FAMILY'S TIME, PROBABLY MOST OF ALL, TO MAKING SURE THAT YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING EVERYTHING WE NEED TO DO FOR OUR KIDDOS. SO THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I WANT TO SAY TODAY. THE TWO GROUPS AHEAD OF ME HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. I DON'T THINK YOU CAN GO WRONG. AND SO WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN THIS NEXT FEW MINUTES ABOUT WHAT SETS US APART AS RAY AND ASSOCIATES. AND WE'LL INTRODUCE THE TEAM. [01:45:01] I'LL START OUT WITH OUR PRESIDENT, MIKE COLLINS, IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF. THANK YOU, DAVID. PRESIDENT HARRIS TRUSTEES, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU. WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO AT LEAST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU, TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTIONS. VERY, VERY DELIGHTED TO HAVE DAVID. WHO'S YOUR YOUR TEXAS GUY? OUR TEXAS GUY WHO HAS A VERY EXTENSIVE REPUTATION THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND WOULD BE THE LEAD IN THIS ONE IN THIS SEARCH. BARBARA GOODWIN HAS WORKED WITH US IN TEXAS AND ARIZONA. AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACTUALLY HAS GRANDCHILDREN AND FAMILY IN TEXAS AND ALSO RESIDES IN ARIZONA. AND WE WOULD MAKE ONE CHANGE OR COULD MAKE ONE CHANGE IN YOUR PROPOSAL. THERE WAS A DR. ROBERT MOTTA THAT WAS IN THE TEAM. HE IS UNDERGOING SOME HE'S GOT SOME PHYSICAL CHALLENGES AT THE MOMENT. HE'S HAD SOME SURGERY. SO WE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO WE'LL WELCOME HIM BACK. BUT JUST IN CASE IT DOESN'T QUITE FIT, WE'RE GOING TO ADD DR. JOSE MARTINEZ, WHO'S OUR OTHER MAJOR NATIONAL HISPANIC CONSULTANT ASSOCIATE. AND WE JUST HAVE A NEW ONE WHO BOTH TRANSLATES AND INTERPRETS. AND DR. PATRICIA GARCIA, WHO'S A VERY RECENTLY RETIRED SUPERINTENDENT IN THE ALBANY, NEW YORK AREA, BUT WILL BE WORKING WITH US NATIONALLY. AS A MATTER OF FACT, SHE JUST CONDUCTED THE OFFICE TRAINING, LED THE TRAINING THAT WAS BASED OUT OF HOUSTON THAT ACTUALLY WE HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK AT. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO THE TEAM. AND IF WE CAN IF WE CAN WELCOME DR. MARTIN BACK WOULD BE THRILLED. YOU WOULD BE THRILLED. BUT WE CERTAINLY ARE NOT AT A LOSS FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH DR. MARTINEZ AND DR. GARCIA. SO THANK YOU, DAVID AND BARBARA. ABSOLUTELY, BARBARA. HI, EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US. MY NAME IS DR. BARBARA GOODWIN. I CURRENTLY MY MAIN HOME IS IN ARIZONA, BUT I SPEND PROBABLY SEVERAL MONTHS, A YEAR IN TEXAS WITH MY DAUGHTER, MY GRANDDAUGHTER AND MY SON IN LAW. SO I'M EXCITED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I COME WITH 37 YEARS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION EXPERIENCE, HAVE WORKED IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS, BUT THE LONGEST TENURE THAT I HAD IN PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS LEADING SEVERAL HR DEPARTMENTS. SO I HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BACKGROUND IN RECRUITMENT, VETTING, SCREENING AND HIRING. ALSO SUPERINTENDENTS. I'VE BEEN WITH RAY AND ASSOCIATES FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS AND I'VE WORKED, AS MIKE SAID, IN MANY SEARCHES IN THE SOUTHWEST. SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING US. AWESOME. THANK YOU. AND I'LL SAY BARBARA AND I HAVE WORKED TOGETHER ON A COUPLE OF SEARCHES. SHE'S FANTASTIC. I DID NOTICE MY PICTURE AS MY PRE RETIREMENT PICTURE, SO GUYS JUST KNOW IT SAVES YOU 10 MINUTES EVERY MORNING ONCE YOU RETIRE TO YOU'LL LET IT GO A LITTLE BIT. SO I AM AGAIN DAVID FALLIS. I'M THE TEXAS REPRESENTATIVE FOR RAY AND ASSOCIATES. I'M A SECOND YEAR WITH RAY AND ASSOCIATES AND I WAS JUST RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM YOU GUYS IN SOUTH LAKE AND CAROL ISD. I RECENTLY RETIRED THERE AFTER 15 YEARS OF SERVICE, AND CAROL PRIOR TO THAT WAS IN A LITTLE TOWN, NAVISTAR ISD OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, A PRETTY DIVERSE, HIGH POVERTY COMMUNITY THAT I WORKED IN FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, THEN TAUGHT AND COACHED AND DID A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. I'VE KEPT AN EYE ON YOUR DISTRICT FOR A LONG TIME, HAVE BEEN PERSONAL FRIENDS WITH YOUR LAST FOUR SUPERINTENDENTS. I BELIEVE JUST THROUGH OUR NETWORKS, WHETHER IT'S BEEN CABINET COMMISSIONER CABINETS OR OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, HAD FAMILY THAT HAVE LIVED IN ALLEN FOR 25 YEARS, AND I WORKED ON NORTH COLLINS FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AFTER I RETIRED IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS. AND WE KEPT A REALLY CLOSE EYE ON YOU GUYS AND SOME OF THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING WITH YOUR BOND PROGRAMS. SO YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. SO AGAIN, I'LL SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. IT'S A THANKLESS JOB. I'M SURE IT'S LIKE BEING IN TECHNOLOGY. YOU DON'T GET EMAILS SAYING, HEY, THANKS FOR THE COMPUTER TURNING ON TODAY. THAT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW THAT WORKS. BUT WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT RAY AND ASSOCIATES. AND AGAIN, WE DO A LOT OF THINGS VERY SIMILAR TO THE TO THE PRIOR TWO FIRMS. IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE TEAM THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH AND AND HOW WE ALL WORK TOGETHER. WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE. WE ARE, I HATE TO SAY, AN OLD FIRM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT QUITE 50 YEARS OLD. SO THAT SOUNDS BAD. BUT WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1975. WE'VE CONDUCTED A LITTLE OVER 1600 SEARCHES NATIONALLY. THE QUESTION ABOUT ASSOCIATES, YOU KNOW, THE CONSULTANTS THAT YOU MENTIONED, WE TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. YOU KNOW, THOSE ASSOCIATES AND CONSULTANTS ARE JUST PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT COULD BE PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT IF WE'RE DOING A SEARCH IN OHIO AND THERE'S A TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT OR DEPUTY WHO APPLIES THERE, THEY'LL CALL ME AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD? WHAT HAVE YOU READ? AND I WILL ALSO THOSE CONSULTANTS WILL ALSO DO REPORTS ON CANDIDATES. IF WE HAVE 55 PEOPLE APPLY FOR THIS POSITION, WE'RE GOING TO DO A REPORT ON EACH AND EVERY CANDIDATE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE VETTED THEM TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. AND THEN WE'LL GO DEEPER AS WE ALL GO DEEPER. BUT AS YOU SEE, ABOUT 40% OF OUR CONSULTANTS ARE WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR. WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. AS WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT IN A MOMENT, WE LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT WE RECRUIT FROM THE [01:50:03] NATION'S LARGEST POOL OF CANDIDATES. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT. WE ARE A WOMAN OWNED EDUCATIONAL SEARCH FIRM HAVE BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND AGAIN, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THOSE NOTES. NOW, THIS IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO READ, BUT I WILL SAY THAT REAGAN ASSOCIATES HAS A STRONG INCLUSION EQUITY STANCE AND STATEMENT, AS WELL AS ELIMINATION OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM. AND SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE INCLUDE AND ARE OPEN TO EVERYONE AS WE WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY IN SELECTING THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR POOL OF CANDIDATES, OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO THAT WE WOULD HAVE 40 TO 50 APPLICANTS FOR THIS POSITION. YOU ARE A A WELL KNOWN DISTRICT NOT ONLY IN TEXAS, BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY. YOU KNOW, JUST ABOUT ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE TOP 10% OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ACADEMICS, DIVERSITY, PLACES TO BE FOR TEACHERS, FOR KIDS, FOR FAMILIES. RICHARDSON IS WELL KNOWN, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, STILL KIND OF HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF THAT SMALL TOWN FEEL, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF THINGS GOING FOR YOU. AND AND SO I THINK THOSE ARE SOME THERE ARE SOME GREAT REASONS TO HELP US RECRUIT PEOPLE TO RICHARDSON ISD. WE WILL SAY THAT WE ARE STRONGLY COMMITTED TO CANDIDATE CARE. I, AS SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED, WE DON'T HAVE A STABLE OF CANDIDATES NECESSARILY. WE HAVE FRIENDS THAT WE WORK WITH, PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW. WE TRY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. WE STAY IN TOUCH WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE OKAY. I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND WE'VE PLACED RECENTLY VISIT WITH THEM MONTHLY, SOME OF THEM WEEKLY. AS STATED BEFORE, IT'S YOUR SEARCH. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE EXPERTIZE, WE HAVE THE NETWORK, WE HAVE WHAT I BELIEVE IS A GREAT SYSTEM OR STRUCTURE TO HELP BRING NOT ONLY CANDIDATES TO YOU, BUT TO HELP YOU VET CANDIDATES. AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROFILE, WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT TO HELP YOU KIND OF SEE WHO RISES TO THE TOP AND WOULD BE A BEST FIT FOR RICHARDSON ISD. BUT AGAIN, I WOULD SAY IT'S YOUR SEARCH. THERE'S AN OLD SAYING IT'S THEIR KIDS, THEIR SCHOOL, THEIR MONEY. AND SO WE'RE HERE TO HELP PUT THE BEST PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU AND IN FRONT OF THE CHILDREN OF YOUR DISTRICT TO HELP LEAD YOU FORWARD, TO HELP YOU MEET THE GOALS THAT YOU'VE SET. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'LL DO EARLY ON, AND I THINK AS TIMMY, THIS CAME UP WITH YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT, DEPENDING ON YOUR TIMELINE, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME UP FRONT VISITING WITH BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR AND ABOUT WHAT WE TRY TO GET TO KNOW THE DISTRICT, NOT ONLY THROUGH OUR GOOGLE SEARCHES AND ME JUST LIVING IN THE AREA AND UNDERSTANDING WHETHER IT'S GOOD HEADLINES OR BAD HEADLINES, RIGHT? THERE'S SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. THERE ARE GREAT THINGS GOING ON EVERY DAY. BUT WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU. WE'RE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME VISITING WITH EACH ONE OF YOU, ASKING YOU, WHAT ARE THE GREAT THINGS? WHAT ARE THE NOT SO GREAT THINGS? ARE THERE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE A GREAT FIT? ARE THERE PEOPLE INTERNAL THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE GREAT? MAYBE YOU'VE BEEN TO A CONFERENCE, YOU'VE HEARD SOMEBODY TALK OR HURT SOMEBODY BRAG ON THEIR SUPERINTENDENT, YOU KNOW, AND YOU SAY, MAN, CAN WE GO VISIT WITH THAT PERSON? BUT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU. AND SO I WOULD SAY THAT WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF FLEXIBILITY ON THE TIMELINE, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. AS WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT. NOW, WE CAN STILL DO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WITH STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND MEETING WITH STAFF AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. IF WE DECIDE TO DO THAT, I THINK WE CAN STILL MEET THAT JUNE 30TH TIMELINE. BUT JUST UNDERSTAND, WE DO WANT TO GET A GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT THE BOARD, WHO'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH YOUR NEXT SUPERINTENDENT DESIRES AND THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU ON DEVELOPING STAKEHOLDER GROUPS DEPENDING ON WHO ALL YOU BELIEVE WE NEED TO VISIT WITH, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, IF DEPENDING ON HOW YOU'RE SET UP, YOU I KNOW YOU'VE GOT 50, NEARLY 60 CAMPUSES. WE MAY NOT PHYSICALLY BE ABLE TO GET TO EVERY CAMPUS, BUT MAYBE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, FEEDER ZONE MEETINGS, ATTENDANCE, ATTENDANCE ZONE MEETINGS. AGAIN, WE WERE DOING VIRTUAL MEETINGS BEFORE COVID, BUT THAT'S JUST BEEN GREAT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE WILL ATTEND THOSE, WHEREAS THEY MAY NOT GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME TO COME TO A MEETING, BUT THEY MAY KIND OF LISTEN IN OR HAVE AN EARPIECE IN AND LISTEN TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS THAT GO ALONG. BUT WE'LL DO ANY AND ALL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS THAT YOU DESIRE. WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY HERE, IF NEED BE, THAT CAN HOST THOSE MEETINGS AND IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE PRIMARILY SPANISH. I KNOW YOU DO HAVE VIETNAMESE AND SOME OTHER LANGUAGES WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO, BUT WE CAN TRANSLATE ANY OF OUR DOCUMENTS INTO ANY LANGUAGES THAT THAT YOU SEEM FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO. AGAIN, A TIMELINE THAT WE PUT IN OUR PROPOSAL IS REALLY KIND OF BLANK, ALTHOUGH WITH YOUR RF P, WE WE CAN MEET THOSE TIMELINES. BUT I THINK THE FIRST THING WE WOULD DO WHEN YOU DETERMINE A TEAM IS WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BOARD AND SAY, OKAY, IT'S JUNE 30TH. IT, HOW DO WE WANT TO MANAGE BOARD ELECTIONS? YOU KNOW, THERE ARE AT LEAST BE ONE SEAT, RIGHT, WITH A NEW PERSON IN IT BECAUSE IT'S VACANT RIGHT NOW. BUT WHAT WILL WE DO FROM THERE? AND THEN WE LIKE TO USE YOUR FEEDBACK TO HELP US FINALIZE THE PROFILES SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A FLIER THAT WE'VE PUT OUT TO OUR OUR OUR CANDIDATES AND OTHER FOLKS THAT MAY BE INTERESTED, THAT TALKS ABOUT HERE'S WHAT OUR BOARD DESIRES ARE, HERE'S WHAT OUR BOARD GOALS ARE, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THIS PROFILE DEVELOPMENT AGAIN WITH THOSE INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH YOU ALL. AND THEN WE'LL PUT OUT AN ONLINE SURVEY, THE SURVEY THAT WE USE, IT'S A RESEARCH BASED SURVEY. WE'VE COME UP WITH REALLY 31 CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE ASK PEOPLE KIND OF, WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT BASED ON THESE 31 [01:55:03] CHARACTERISTICS, THEN WHEN WE SIT DOWN WITH YOU AT A LATER TIME. WE'LL DISAGGREGATE THAT DATA BY THE BOARD, BY STUDENTS, BY TAXPAYERS, BY TEACHERS, BY STAFF WHO ARE NON CERTIFIED SO THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT. AND SOMETIMES IT CAN BE EYE OPENING BECAUSE THE BOARD'S TOP TEN MAY NOT BE YOUR STAFF'S TOP TEN AND THEY MAY NOT BE YOUR COMMUNITY TOP TEN. RIGHT. BUT THAT GIVES YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEGREGATE AND SEE ALL OF THAT DATA. AND IT GETS IT BECOMES VERY CLEAR CUT THE TYPE OF LEADER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. AND THAT'S BEEN A GREAT TOOL FOR US. WE'LL ALSO SURVEY AND TALLY THOSE FOCUS GROUP RESULTS AND GIVE THOSE TO YOU. WE'LL GIVE YOU EVERY COMMENT THAT WE CAN DOCUMENT. AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, SOME OF THAT PREP WORK YOU HAVE TO DO IS AS A HIGHLY PAID BOARD MEMBER, GOING THROUGH COMMENTS THAT FOLKS HAVE MADE ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE, WHAT THEIR WITH THEIR SUPERINTENDENT. THEY USED TO HAVE A TRUSTEE THAT ALWAYS WANTED TO VOTE TO TRIPLE HIS SALARY. WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, FINE, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA. BUT, BUT YOU'LL HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO HELP DETERMINE THOSE FINAL PROFILE CHARACTERISTICS. BECAUSE, AGAIN, AS SOMEONE MENTIONED EARLIER, THOSE CANDIDATES OUT THERE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT PROFILE AND YOU'D BE SURPRISED THE WORDS THAT WE USE AND THE PROFILE THAT WE SET WILL WILL CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO GO, OOH, I'D BE A GREAT FIT THERE AND MAY CAUSE OTHER PEOPLE TO GO, NOT QUITE FOR ME. AND THEN IF WE NEED TO DO OPEN PUBLIC FORUMS, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. WE DO AGGRESSIVELY RECRUIT. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'VE DONE OVER 1600 SEARCHES. WE HAVE OUR WEBSITE, I THINK SIMILAR TO HIS. WE HAVE ABOUT 28,000 UNIQUE VISITS TO THAT WEBSITE EVERY MONTH. PEOPLE THAT WANT TO BE SUPERINTENDENTS, PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPERINTENDENTS WHO WANT THAT NEXT CHALLENGE TYPICALLY ARE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR THINGS, BUT YOU STILL WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE POSTED IN THE CORRECT PLACES, WHETHER THAT'S TAZA, TASI, ALAS, USAA, RSA, ALL THOSE KINDS OF PLACES AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU. WE KIND OF HAVE A SET, I GUESS AN ADVERTISING VENUES, IF YOU WILL, BUT IF THERE ARE SOME PLACES, AS YOU SAY, MAN, THEY WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HIT EDUCATION WEEK. WELL, THERE MAY BE A FEE THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AND WE JUST PASS THOSE FEES ALONG TO YOU. WE DON'T CHARGE THOSE. AND AGAIN, YOUR YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT SEEM TO BE VERY ACTIVE AND VERY ROBUST. WE'LL USE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AGAIN, IT'S YOUR SEARCH. WE WOULD REALLY DO ANYTHING THAT YOU BELIEVE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE IDEAS, WE HAVE THOUGHTS. I KNOW WHAT WORKED IN ROGERS, ARKANSAS, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE WHAT WOULD WORK SO WELL IN RICHARDSON. AND YOU'LL KNOW THOSE THINGS. AND THEN WE HAVE A COUPLE OF GUARANTEES WE'LL TALK ABOUT. FIRST OF ALL, WE WON'T COME BACK AND TRY TO RECRUIT ANY PLACE CANDIDATE FOR FIVE YEARS. OUR AVERAGE TENURE OF PLACE SUPERINTENDENTS AS OF ABOUT A WEEK AGO WAS SIX YEARS AND SEVEN MONTHS PRIOR TO COVID. IT WAS ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, TWO MONTHS. AND SO WE KNOW AS AS EVERYTHING IT'S BEEN TOUGH. IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR YOU. IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR YOUR FAMILIES. IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR YOUR TEACHERS, AND IT'S BEEN TOUGH FOR SCHOOL LEADERS. SORRY, I KEEP FLIPPING THAT AROUND ON YOU, YOUR TECH GUYS HAVING TO WORK REALLY HARD FOR US. AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN TO SCREEN THOSE THOSE APPLICANTS OR THOSE CANDIDATES BASED ON THE DISTRICT DEVELOPED PROFILE. IF IT NEEDS TO BE BY DECEMBER 30TH. WE CAN DO THAT. WE CAN DO THAT. IT JUST IT JUST MEANS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MEET A LITTLE MORE OFTEN OR THE PRESIDENT AND YOUR CONSULTANT MAY HAVE TO COMMUNICATE A LITTLE MORE OFTEN, OR WE'LL HAVE TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU. WHEN WE FIRST GET THAT CANDIDATE POOL, WE'LL DO A PRETTY EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK THROUGH ALL THE INTERNET LOOKS. FACEBOOK LOOKS, WHETHER THERE'S GOOD PRESS OUT THERE, BAD PRESS OUT THERE. IF THERE'S BAD PRESS, I CAN GUARANTEE YOU ONE OF EITHER MYSELF OR ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATES WILL CALL TO FIND OUT, IS THAT THE REAL STORY? AND YOU AS A BOARD MAY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO FIGHT HEADLINES WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT STORY OR NOT. AND THOSE ARE ALL DECISIONS THAT THAT YOU'LL BE MAKING. THEN WE'LL BRING 8 TO 10 TO EXCUSE ME, 8 TO 10 TO MAYBE 12 CANDIDATES TO YOU THAT WE BELIEVE MEET THAT FILTER. AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE OTHER 30 APPLICANTS, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO THAT. AND YOU MAY YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND, YOU'RE THINKING, OH, I THINK THEY APPLIED. AND YOU SAID, DAVID, CAN YOU REVISIT THIS PERSON? AND THEN WE'LL GET THAT THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. WE ALSO DO SPARK HA VIDEOS THAT I THINK ARE PHENOMENAL. SO WHEN YOU SAY, WELL, THESE ARE THE TEN WE WANT TO VISIT WITH, THEN I'LL SEND A LINK OUT TO THOSE TEN CANDIDATES. AND THERE WILL BE TYPICALLY THREE QUESTIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO RICHARDSON ISD THAT WILL POP ON THEIR SCREEN, AND THEY'LL HAVE ABOUT 90 SECONDS TO RESPOND TO THOSE. AND SO AS YOU GET TO VET CANDIDATES, YOU'LL ALSO GET TO SEE THESE SPARK VIDEOS WHERE YOU SEE HOW SOMEBODY PRESENTS THEMSELVES WITH A QUESTION THAT THEY HAVEN'T REALLY HAD A CHANCE TO STUDY. RIGHT. BUT OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT BEING A SUPERINTENDENT IS TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP IN FRONT OF A ROOM OF PEOPLE AND FIELD QUESTIONS. AND WE JUST THINK THAT'S BEEN AN OUTSTANDING TOOL FOR US. AND IT'S REALLY HELPED OUR BOARD GAIN A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO WHO THAT PERSON IS AND HOW THEY RESPOND, SOMETIMES UNDER A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE, YOU KNOW, IN A 92ND SNIPPET. AND THAT'S BEEN A GREAT TOOL FOR US. AND THEN ONCE WE GET TO THE TOP TWO OR THREE CANDIDATES, AS WE GET THROUGH THE SYSTEM, THEN WE'LL GO INTO A MUCH DEEPER BACKGROUND CHECK, IF YOU WILL. [02:00:04] I HATE TO SAY FBI LEVEL, BUT. IT BORDERS ON THAT WHERE WE'LL LOOK INTO CRIMINAL, CIVIL, SOCIAL SECURITY. SEX OFFENDER LISTS, MOTOR VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, TROPHY CLUBS ARE REALLY GOOD ABOUT PULLING ME OVER FOR MY REGISTRATION, YOU KNOW, SO HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T SHOW UP. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A SAYING THERE'S NO SURPRISES IN THE SCHOOL BUSINESS. THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE JUST AREN'T WE'RE ALL VERY PUBLIC. WE'RE ALL VERY TRANSPARENT. WE ALL LIVE VERY PUBLIC AND TRANSPARENT LIVES. AND YOUR SCHOOL LEADERS DO AS WELL THEN, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS SELECTING THOSE CANDIDATES, YOU WILL BE TASKED WITH REVIEWING THOSE CANDIDATES. WE'LL GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON BASED ON WHAT WE KNOW. AGAIN, EVERY CANDIDATE WILL HAVE BEEN CONTACTED AND INTERVIEWED BY EITHER MYSELF OR SOMEONE ON OUR TEAM OR ONE OF OUR ASSOCIATES. AGAIN, THE SPARK VIDEOS ARE PHENOMENAL. THEY'RE GREAT TO WATCH AND WE CAN SEND THOSE TO YOU SO YOU CAN DO THAT KIND OF ON YOUR OWN. WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY TIE UP, YOU KNOW, WAS IT 9 MINUTES PER CANDIDATE, YOU KNOW, DURING A BOARD MEETING, IF YOU DESIRE. BUT IF WE WANT TO WATCH THEM TOGETHER, WE CAN. AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH THIS CONSENSUS BUILDING MATRIX. IT'S A IT'S A IT'S KIND OF A FORCED MATRIX, IF YOU WILL, WHERE WE COMPARE ALL THE CANDIDATES TO EACH OTHER WITH YOU. AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS MATRIX, WHEN HE FIRST LAID IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU KIND OF GO, OH, BUT AS WE WORK THROUGH IT, YOUR FAVORED CANDIDATES TEND TO RISE TO THE TOP. NOW, AS WE WORK THROUGH THAT MATRIX, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE ONES THAT RISE TO THE TOP ARE ONES YOU HAVE TO INTERVIEW. IT'S STILL YOUR SEARCH. IF YOU SAY, THAT'S GREAT, I REALLY LIKE THIS PERSON, I REALLY LIKE THEIR EXPERIENCES AND I WOULD LIKE TO VISIT WITH THEM. AND WE WILL WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE'LL GO THROUGH AND LOOK AT THOSE MATRIX RESULTS. WE'LL SELECT THOSE CANDIDATES FOR SEMIFINAL AND FINAL INTERVIEWS. IF YOU DETERMINE THAT, YOU I THINK TODAY YOU'D PROBABLY DO IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS FOR YOUR FIRST ROUND. I JUST YOU WE'RE ALL IN A VIRTUAL WORLD NOW, BUT I JUST STILL THINK IT'S GREAT TO GET FACE TO FACE WITH SOMEBODY AND REALLY FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT. AND THEN FINALIZING WILL HELP YOU WITH FINALIZING THE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH OF THOSE INTERVIEWS. AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK. WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF KIND OF BASIC QUESTIONS, IF YOU WILL, BUT WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WORK FOR FOR YOUR INTERVIEWS SO THAT YOU GET KIND OF THE ROOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED. AND THEN BEYOND THAT, WE'LL HELP WITH THOSE INTERVIEWS. WE'LL HELP THE FINAL SELECTIONS. WE'LL HELP WITH THE FINAL CONTRACT AGREEMENT. WE HAVE YOU OBVIOUSLY RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP US ON THE LEGAL SIDE. YOU HAVE RESOURCES IN THE DISTRICT, BUT WE CAN DO THOSE SALARY SURVEYS AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN PAYING AND WHETHER THAT'S EQUITABLE AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD ATTRACT SOMEONE TO RICHARDSON ISD. RIGHT. YOU WANT SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO BE HERE. WE WANT SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO BE HERE AS WELL. AND THEN WE PROVIDE A TWO YEAR GUARANTEE ON YOUR SEARCH, MEANING THAT IF FOR SOME REASON IT DOESN'T WORK OUT IN THOSE FIRST TWO YEARS, WE'LL COME BACK AND REDO YOUR SEARCH FOR FREE. SO WE HAVE THAT TWO YEAR AND THE FIVE YEAR AND THEN WE PROVIDE A BOARD SELF ASSESSMENT SURVEY, IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DESIRE. I KNOW THE STATE PROVIDES A LOT OF THAT KIND OF INFORMATION, SO AND IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING, THAT'S FINE. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU AND WITH YOU, AND PARTICULARLY WITH YOUR NEW LEADER, YOUR NEW SUPERINTENDENT, TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE AND THEN WE'LL HELP YOU WITH THE BUILDING, THE NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM IF NECESSARY. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE KIND OF LEADER THAT'S GOING TO COME IN HERE, KNOW HOW TO BUILD TEAMS. THEY WILL HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THAT. BUT WE'RE WE STAND READY TO HELP REFERENCES. YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE THAT LIKE US, WE THINK. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THOSE REFERENCES ABOUT WHAT FOLKS SAY ABOUT RAY AND ASSOCIATES. I WILL PROMISE YOU THAT. WE'LL WORK WE'LL WORK TIRELESSLY. AGAIN, I'VE WORKED WITH BARB BEFORE, AND OF COURSE, MIKE. MIKE DIDN'T TELL YOU HE IS WAS, I DON'T KNOW, PRESIDENT OR THE HEAD MUCKETY MUCK OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION IN IOWA. SO HE SAT WHERE YOU'VE SAT AND UNDERSTANDS YOUR ROLE AND CAN EMPATHIZE WITH YOU ON THAT. AND ME HAVEN'T BEEN A SUPERINTENDENT AND HAVEN'T WORKED WITH BOARDS. WE'RE HERE FOR YOU, RIGHT? KIND OF AROUND THE CLOCK, IF YOU WILL. AND THEN IN SUMMARY, YOU KNOW, BEING THE OLDEST FIRM ISN'T ALWAYS THE GREATEST THING, BUT WE'RE STILL HERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT ALWAYS AND I THINK WE'VE DONE GREAT WORK OVER THE YEARS. WE'VE PLACED A LOT OF SUPERINTENDENTS. YOU SEE THE NUMBERS THERE. WE GENERALLY HAVE A VERY LARGE POOL OF CANDIDATES. AND I WILL SAY NOW COMING OUT OF COVID, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF BACK TO THAT. SIX MONTHS AGO OR A YEAR AGO, I MIGHT HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE KIND OF STAYING PUT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO LEAVE A DISTRICT WITH CHILDREN THAT YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC. BUT I THINK NOW YOU'RE AT A POINT WHERE I THINK PEOPLE ARE IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT BACK TO NORMAL, ESPECIALLY HERE IN TEXAS. OUR ENGAGEMENT, I THINK, IS SECOND TO NONE. WE WILL WILL ENGAGE AS MUCH OR I HATE TO SAY AS LITTLE, BUT WE'LL DO AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH YOUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENTS HERE OR WHETHER IT'S IN PERSON, IN PERSON MEETINGS, OUR LEADERSHIP OUTREACH, THE THINGS THAT WE DO FOR OUR CANDIDATES, THE YOU AGAIN, WHEN SOMEONE VISITS OUR WEBSITE, PARTICULARLY IF THEY SIGN UP AS A TO PROVIDE A PROFILE, THEN WE HAVE THEIR INFORMATION WHERE WE CAN BLAST YOUR FLIER OR YOUR INFORMATION OUT, NOT ONLY TO THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE ON OUR WEBSITE, BUT OBVIOUSLY SOME OF THOSE OTHER WEBSITES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. OUR BACKGROUND CHECKS, I THINK ARE VERY IN-DEPTH. [02:05:03] THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD INTERVIEWS, I THINK ARE. I REALLY LIKE THOSE. I HADN'T DONE THAT BEFORE AND OTHER SEARCHES. AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT REI REALLY PRIDES THEMSELVES ON, IS VISITING WITH YOU AS INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEES. AND I HAVE GOTTEN MORE INFORMATION FROM INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS, NOT ONLY ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND ABOUT THE NEXT LEADER, BUT ABOUT YOUR BOARD. RIGHT. BECAUSE, AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO IF THE BOARD IS GETTING ON, GREAT, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY THAN IF YOU'RE NOT. RIGHT. AND THAT TELLS US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOMETHING ABOUT THE TYPE OF LEADER THAT WOULD HELP YOU, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY ALL OF OUR GOALS ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE DOING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN. RIGHT. AND YOU'VE GOT YOUR BOARD GOALS IN PLACE AND THEY'RE ALL ABOUT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. AND BUT THERE'S STILL WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK FOR THAT SUPERINTENDENT, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THERE'S NO SURPRISES AND WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE SURPRISED. IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY SCARE PEOPLE OFF. IF THINGS ARE GOING BAD OR IF THEY'RE GOING GREAT, A GOOD LEADER WILL COME AND DO THEIR BEST TO HELP. AND I THINK YOU'LL YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THAT TWO YEAR IN THE FIVE YEAR GUARANTEE, WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THAT. I DON'T KNOW. SOMEBODY ASKED EARLIER, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD TO REPEAT A SEARCH. MIKE COULD PROBABLY ANSWER THAT AND THAT MAY COME UP IN A LITTLE BIT. AND SO THAT MAY BE THAT MAY NOT QUITE BE 20 MINUTES. BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO ARE VERY SIMILAR TO THE OTHER SEARCH FIRMS. I DO BELIEVE HAVING ME LIVING RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, NO. ONE RICHARDSON ISD THE WAY THAT I DO AND AND I THINK HAVING THE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE NATIONAL CONSULTANTS, I THINK, SETS RAY AND ASSOCIATES APART AS BEING A GREAT FIRM. SO WITH THAT, MIKE, BARB, MISS ANYTHING BEFORE WE STOP FOR QUESTIONS. OKAY. THAT'S A GOOD SIGN. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE QUESTIONS IN THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT IS REALLY IS ALMOST EVERYTHING THAT'S HERE OBVIOUSLY IS IN OUR PROPOSAL AND YOU BEING A BOARD, THAT'S REAL HOMEWORK. YOU'LL SEE ALL THAT IN THE PROPOSAL, INCLUDING ALL OUR RESUMES AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I THINK THAT'S ON PAGE NINE. ET CETERA. I THINK WE'RE JUST GET. BARB, I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF BY ANY MEANS, BUT I'M I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION. AND COULD WE TAKE DOWN THE SCREEN JUST SO WE COULD SEE MORE PEOPLE ON THE SCREEN? I MEAN, TAKE DOWN TO WHERE YOU SHARED THE SCREEN. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE TRUSTEES? YEAH, IF WE COULD. I MEAN, IT'S JUST A LITTLE NICER TO SEE FACES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE. BRYAN'S BEEN GREAT, BY THE WAY, TO WORK WITH ALL DAY LONG. I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A VIDEO THAT THEY CAN CAMERA THAT THEY CAN SHARE OVER TO THE BOARD AT THIS TIME. NO WORRIES. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HARRIS. THAT'S THE END OF OUR PRISONS. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, MR. POTEET, IF YOU'RE READY. AND SOME OF WHAT I'VE BEEN KEYING IN ON YOU HAVE YOU HAVE COVERAGE. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. I DID. SO YOU'RE YOUR PARTICIPATION AS A TEAM MEMBER ON HERE. CAN YOU FURTHER DEFINE THAT AS A PIECE OF THAT TEAM? AND HOW MUCH WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR TIME WOULD BE DEDICATED? BECAUSE ONE THING THAT I THINK WE'VE ALL KEYED IN ON IS, YOU KNOW, THE UNIQUENESS, WHICH THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN THE UNIQUENESS OF IS SPENDING TIME ON THE GROUND, BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND ISD. SO I'M WONDERING WHO THAT'S GOING TO BE AND WHERE ARE THEY DOING IT FROM? SO IF YOU KIND OF TOUCH ON THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M YOUR PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT. I'LL BE THE ONE THAT YOU'LL ALL HAVE MY CELL PHONE WHEN THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, COMMUNITY FORUMS OR CAMPUS BASED ACTIVITIES THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE. I'LL BE THERE. AND OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S TWO AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'LL SPLIT SOME OF THOSE UP. BUT I WILL BE YOUR PRIMARY POINT OF CONTACT AS WE AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, BARB AND THE OTHERS THAT MIKE HAS MENTIONED ARE INCREDIBLE COMPONENTS TO THIS. BUT I'M HERE. I'M NOT I'M NOT PARTICIPATING IN ANOTHER SEARCH RIGHT NOW AS AS OF TODAY. WE'RE NOT APPLYING FOR ANOTHER SEARCH RIGHT NOW. THIS IS THE ONE WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE KIND OF BEEN WATCHING FOR A WHILE AND HAVE FOCUSED ON THIS ONE. AND SO THIS IS THE ONLY SEARCH THAT THAT I'M ENGAGED IN RIGHT NOW. AND IF THERE'S MORE OF A COMMENT. BUT IT KIND OF RESONATED WITH ME ON THE THE TRUSTEE INTERVIEWS. I THINK THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS REALLY KIND OF RESONATED IN A CONCEPT THAT I THINK IS PRETTY VALUABLE IN THIS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP AND THAT'S IT. IF I THINK SOMETHING ELSE AND INTERESTING. IF I MAY FOLLOW UP AND MAYBE SPEAKING A LITTLE OUT OF TURN HERE, ONE THING WE COULD DO IS DO THOSE TRUSTEE INTERVIEWS WITH YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT NOW AND THEN, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE MAY ELECTIONS, IF IT'S ONE OR TWO CHANGES, WE COULD WE COULD TRY TO FOLD THOSE IN. BUT AGAIN, YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT. THOSE PROFILES ARE GOING TO HELP US SELL THE DISTRICT BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO KNOW SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS. SO. THANK YOU, MR. POTEET. MR. EAGER. AND AGAIN, NICE PRESENTATION. [02:10:02] AND OBVIOUSLY GOING LAST YOU GET TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ASKED. SO I GET THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT I'M GOING TO KIND OF TAILOR TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. ONE, WE LOVE TO SAY THAT RICHARDSON IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA, BUT WE HAVE A HOMETOWN FEEL RIGHT. AND SO TELL ME, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST QUESTION I'VE GOT IS THAT TELL ME THAT HAL RAY AND ASSOCIATES IS BEING A LARGE FIRM, ETC. IS GOING TO MAKE IT MORE PERSONABLE FOR RICHARDSON. AND THEN EVEN MORE SPECIFICALLY, HOW DO YOU ENGAGE DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY? BECAUSE WE'VE GOT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS GETTING INPUT. AND SO, AS MY FELLOW TRUSTEES HAVE POINTED OUT, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT OF SOME OF YOUR TECHNIQUES OF GETTING INPUT FROM DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY SO THEY'RE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS. SURE. AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE FOR YOU TO GET INFORMATION REGARDLESS OF THE TOPIC. I THINK IT'S SPENDING A LOT OF TIME FACE TO FACE OVER COFFEE OR OVER A PHONE VISITING WITH YOU, WITH ME OR OTHER ASSOCIATES. I THINK IT'S WORKING WITH YOUR DISTRICT STAFF, WITH THE COMMUNICATION TEAM, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN'T WORK. THEY PROBABLY HAVE ANALYTICS ON THAT, ON, HEY, SO MANY PEOPLE, YOU AND CAROL ISD AT 245, OUR ELEMENTARY MAMAS, I'LL OPEN FACEBOOK BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE SITTING IN THE PICKUP LINE. AND SO WE KNEW WHEN TO POST THINGS AND YOUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS GOING TO HAVE THAT KIND OF DATA YOU MY TIME AT 1050 BARBECUE YOU KNOW I HEAR THINGS ABOUT RICHARDSON ISD AND THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE LIKE AND SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE DON'T LIKE. BUT I THINK JUST PLUGGING IN AND FINDING OUT, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO CALL THEM COAT PULLERS. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT THAT ARE PULLING YOUR COAT. THEY MAY NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THEIR NAME OR WHO THEY ARE EVEN, BUT THEY'RE GIVING YOU INFORMATION. AND I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE NAMES FOR US. YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME SOME OF THOSE NAMES FOR US WHEN WE MEET WITH YOUR CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION, YOUR STAFF, AGAIN, PROVIDING A SAFE SPACE THROUGH THAT CONFIDENTIAL SURVEY, THAT 31 QUALITY SURVEY, WE'RE GOING TO GET A TON OF FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS ABOUT KIND OF WHAT THE PROS AND CONS ARE. AND THEN AS FAR AS RAY AND ASSOCIATES, WE MAY TALK ABOUT HOW OFTEN OR WHAT OR HOW TO COMMUNICATE, BUT YOUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IS ALSO GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR PART IN THAT IN A ROLE IN THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T CREATE A STORY FOR RICHARDSON ISD THAT'S NOT ALREADY THERE. THAT WOULDN'T BE FAIR. RIGHT. AND SO WE JUST NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT STORY IS AND GET IT OUT TO FOLKS AS AS OFTEN AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN. EVEN IF WE COULD ADD FOR JUST A SECOND, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING, AND I JUST HAVE TO POINT TO ME. I DO WANT TO JUST ADD THAT I THINK ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO PROVIDE YOU WITH BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA, WITH OUR VARIETY OF SURVEY AND OUTREACH METHODS. AND WE GATHER THAT SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A LOT OF POINTS OF REFERENCE AS YOU MAKE DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD. THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS AND SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY, REALLY STRIVE TO MEET. AND IF I MAY ADD, DAVID, AND THEN MOVE ON. I DON'T MEAN TO HOLD THIS UP, BUT SO IT'S SOMEWHAT THERE IS A STRUCTURE TO THIS COMMUNITY INPUT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE ALL TRAINED FACILITATORS. WE ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO FACILITATE GROUPS. SECONDLY IS IS THAT WE ACTUALLY WILL ASK YOU TO PROPOSE YOUR FIRST YOUR YOUR SET OF STAKEHOLDERS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE INVOLVED. AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH YOU AND SAYING, WELL, DO YOU HAVE A GROUP LIKE THIS OR WHAT ABOUT A GROUP LIKE THIS? SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF 50, 60 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS WITH. WELL, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WE PLACED 61 SUPERINTENDENTS OR DEPUTIES. AND SO WILL WE'LL WORK WITH YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS TALK HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK OR BE INVITED. WE TYPICALLY IN THESE FOCUS GROUPS GO ANYWHERE, TYPICALLY AS SMALL AS TEN, MOSTLY 12 TO 15. AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I'M NOT EXCITED ABOUT DOING IT. WE DID I'VE DONE 31 AND I'VE DONE 29 IN TWO DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. SO WHATEVER THAT SIZE AND SCOPE THAT'S NECESSARY AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 31 QUALITY IS ACTUALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING EVERYBODY TO DO IS PICK THE TOP TEN. THAT'S HOW THE DISAGGREGATED INFORMATION THAT DAVID SPOKE TO BECOMES SO CLEAR, BECAUSE YOU SEE THEIR TOP TEN BY STUDENTS, BY TEACHERS, BY ADMINISTRATORS, BY PRINCIPALS, BY PARENTS, BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BY YOU. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK EACH ONE OF YOU TO TAKE IT. AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT SPREADSHEET AND THAT CHART, THAT'S HOW THIS COMES CLEAR. SO IT HAS SOME STRUCTURE TO IT. EVERY GROUP THAT WE DO FOCUS GROUPS WITH GETS ASKED THE SAME SET OF QUESTIONS. IT'S THE IT'S THE FEEDBACK THEY GIVE US FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE THAT PROVIDES THAT UNIQUE LOOK AT THAT UNIQUE SNAPSHOT ABOUT WHAT THIS GROUP IS SAYING AND THIS GROUP IS SAYING AND THIS GROUP IS SAYING AND WILL, WE'LL PUT TOGETHER THE THEMES AND TENETS THAT COME OUT [02:15:02] OF THE FOCUS GROUPS AND ALIGN THEM WITH WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SURVEY, WHICH GETS ALIGNED WITH WHAT COMES OUT OF YOUR INTERVIEW, AND THAT'S YOUR PROFILE. SO I JUST WANTED TO GET TO A FEW MORE STEPS, BUT I HOPE SO. I HOPE I HOPE THAT I HOPE THAT. ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. IT SURE DID. SURE. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I'LL TRY NOT TO FOLLOW UP ON EVERY QUESTION. BUT, YOU KNOW, ON THESE 31 QUALITIES, ONE THING THAT WE SAW IN A RECENT SEARCH WAS WHEN THE TRUSTEES DID THEIR 31 QUALITIES, THERE WAS ONE ABOUT SHOULD THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE BEEN A CLASSROOM TEACHER? RIGHT. AND IT WAS INTERESTING. THIS PARTICULAR BOARD RATED THAT VERY LOW. IT WAS 27 OR 28 AND EVERY OTHER GROUP RATED AT ONE, TWO OR THREE. AND SO WHEN WE SAT DOWN WITH THE BOARD, IT WAS JUST KIND OF FUN TO SEE PEOPLE GO, OH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS, BUT YOU'RE YOUR TEACHERS, RIGHT? AND YOUR COMMUNITY BELIEVE THAT PERSON AND THAT DISTRICT NEEDED TO HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF A CLASSROOM OF KIDS. AND SO THOSE ARE THERE'S SOME REALLY COOL AHA MOMENTS THAT TAKE PLACE WITH THAT 31 QUALITIES BECAUSE IT'S REAL HARD DATA OF WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE. SO. THANK YOU, MR. MS. RENTERÍA. YES, THANK YOU, DAVID. GREAT PRESENTATION. I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED, LIKE, WHAT IS IT, 6500 SEARCHES NATIONALLY THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. I THINK MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS, YOU KNOW, OF OF ALL THE SEARCHES THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THE SUCCESSFUL SEARCHES, MAYBE WHAT YOU THINK THAT THE KEY CIRCUMSTANCES WERE THAT MADE THOSE SUCCESSFUL. BUT ALSO, I THINK OF YOUR MOST DIFFICULT SEARCHES, MAYBE WHAT MADE THEM DIFFICULT AND MAYBE HOW YOUR TEAM HANDLED THAT OR WHAT YOU MIGHT FORESEE THAT THAT MIGHT BE? WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS BOARD SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIPS, WE CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE DATA. I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE DATA. BUT IF THE FIT IS NOT RIGHT, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM AND THAT MAY BE A CONCERN. TRUSTEE TIMI, WITH THIS CHANGE, POTENTIAL CHANGE IN BOARD, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THAT. BUT IT'S THAT FIT OF BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER. WE NEED TO COME TO CONSENSUS ON WHO WE BELIEVE IS THE BEST LEADER, AND WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION TO YOU. BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THAT DECISION BETWEEN THIS ONE AND THIS ONE, AND IF A QUESTION COMES UP, I'VE STOPPED DISCUSSIONS AND GOT ON THE PHONE WITH PEOPLE TO FIND IT, BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE QUESTIONS ANSWERED, ANSWERED AS BEST YOU CAN. AND IF NOT, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT QUESTION LINGERING OUT THERE, AND THEN THAT CAN CREATE TRUST ISSUES. AND I THINK IF THERE HAVE BEEN. PROBLEMS THAT COME DOWN TO TRUST YOU. I MENTIONED THERE'S NO SURPRISES. YOU KNOW, YOUR SUPERINTENDENT NEEDS TO BE OPEN. IT NEEDS TO BE HONEST. THEY NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AN OPEN BOOK AS A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT. AND PEOPLE EXPECT THAT IF YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF LEADING OR EDUCATING. MY BABIES, MY FIVE, SIX, EIGHT YEAR OLD KIDS, I SHOULD BE ABOVE REPROACH. AND SO IF THOSE QUESTIONS COME UP, WE'RE GOING TO DOVE IN AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND FIND THOSE ANSWERS OUT FOR YOU. AND SO I THINK TRUST THAT CREATES COHESIVENESS CAN EITHER WIN IT OR LOSE IT. AND I REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN A TERRIBLE SITUATION, BUT I JUST KNOW THAT THOSE ARE WHEN WHEN I TALK TO SUPERINTENDENTS OR I TALK TO BOARD MEMBERS OR ONE OF MY BEST BUDDIES IS IS ON THE BOARD. THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LIKE, OH, MAN, I WISH THAT SUPERINTENDENT WOULD HAVE TOLD US X, Y OR Z WHEN IT HAPPENED, NOT THREE DAYS AFTER IT HAPPENED. RIGHT. AND I THINK THOSE ARE THE KIND OF YOU HAVE TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS DURING THE PROCESS. BUT WE ALSO HAVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT, TRUST BUT VERIFY. YOU HAVE PEOPLE CAN NOD AND SAY, OH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, BUT BUT I THINK YOU HAVE TO GO FIND FIND THAT ANSWER SOMEHOW. SO I THINK THAT THAT TRUST AND BEING COHESIVE AND BUT AGAIN THAT FIT SOMETIMES YOU'LL KNOW WHO IT IS WHEN THEY WALK IN THE DOOR FOR THE INTERVIEW. I MEAN YOU'LL HAVE THAT WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU KIND OF TRY TO TRIP THEM UP, RIGHT? HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE FIVE OF THOSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'LL BE REALLY TORN BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE TO THE FINAL DECISION. GREAT. YEAH. THE ONLY IF I MAY. SO I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE, DAVID. DAVID HAD PART OF IT. I'M ACTUALLY IN OHIO, BUT SO I SPENT TWO TERMS AS A CITY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER AND THEN TWO TERMS AS AN ELECTED MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN OHIO. SO HIGHLY NEGLECTED. AND I DID FIVE SEARCHES AS ONE OF YOU. AND WHAT DAVID IS DESCRIBING TO ME HAS BEEN THE REAL TIPPING POINT IN EVERY ONE OF THOSE. BUT AS YOU GET TO KNOW BARBARA BETTER AND OBVIOUSLY KNOW DAVID AND HOPEFULLY MYSELF, AND THEN AS WE ADD JOSE AND OR PATRICIA, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT BE THERE ALL THE TIME, WE WILL COME IN AS NEEDED, AS NECESSARY IN ADDITION TO DAVID. BUT THERE'S A TRUST FACTOR WITH YOUR OWN SENSE. THERE'S THE TRUST FACTOR WITH EACH OTHER. THERE'S THIS TRUST FACTOR WITH ACTUALLY US. [02:20:02] AND IT'S HOW YOU CAN ASK US. AND WE CAN SHARE EXPERIENCES, WE CAN SHARE THOUGHTS. WE ACTUALLY CAN SUGGEST YOU MAY NOT WANT TO THINK ABOUT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO TRY THAT. IT'LL GO BOTH WAYS. AND THE OTHER SIDE IS OUR RESPONSIVENESS. I THINK THE RESPONSIVENESS IS PART OF THE TRUST BUILDING, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THAT, THEN YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT DOING YOUR JOB. AND THAT IS REALLY TO TO THINK FOR YOURSELF. AND THEN BY CONSENSUS TOGETHER ON MAKING AND MAKING THAT FUNNEL NARROWER AND MOVING PEOPLE FORWARD. AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, IN ADDITION TO THE MATRIX, WHICH WE SEE AS A TOOL, IT'S A FORCED PRIORITIZATION OF COMPARING EACH CANDIDATE TO THE OTHER ONE, EACH OTHER, ONE, ONE AT A TIME. BUT IT REALLY IS YOUR DISCUSSION. IT REALLY IS YOUR CONSENSUS. OUR JOB IS TO HELP YOU REACH THAT CONSENSUS, NOT TO ENGAGE IN WHAT WHAT'S THE CONSENSUS SHOULD BE? I DON'T KNOW, BARTON. YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD SOMETHING, BUT I HOPE THAT'S HELPFUL. BUT THE TRUST PIECE, I THINK, IS RIGHT ON TARGET. YES. NO, THAT'S THAT'S VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, DAVID. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ANDREA. SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THAT, OF COURSE, WITH THE CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, OUR CANDIDATE POOL IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE PRETTY DIVERSE, PRETTY LARGE. SO OUT OF CURIOSITY, AND JUST FOR MY KNOWLEDGE, I'D JUST LIKE TO KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A CANDIDATE WITH TEXAS EXPERIENCE VERSUS SOMEONE THAT DOES NOT HAVE TEXAS EXPERIENCE OR JUST FROM RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY OR. RICHARDSON SURE. WELL, I'LL PRETEND MY ARIZONA AND IOWA COLLEAGUES AREN'T PAYING ATTENTION BECAUSE I DO HAVE A BIAS. BUT I'LL I'LL I'LL ACQUIESCE ON MY BIAS A LITTLE BIT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. RIGHT. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IF I WERE APPLYING IN WISCONSIN, I MEAN, I'VE GOT A DOCTOR IN EDUCATION. I'VE DONE THIS FOR 18 YEARS. I CAN GET TO WISCONSIN AND FIGURE OUT THEIR SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM PRETTY QUICKLY. I CAN FIGURE OUT THEIR ACADEMIC PROFILE AND WHERE THEY'RE HEADED PRETTY QUICKLY. AND SO I CAN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, OH, YOU GOT TO BE A TEXAN, RIGHT? IT DEPENDS ON YOUR STAFF. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IF I SHOW UP IN WISCONSIN AND I'M FROM TEXAS, DO YOUR TEACHERS ROLL THEIR EYES AND GO, WHAT DOES THIS GUY KNOW ABOUT WISCONSIN SCHOOLS? RIGHT. AND SO I AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THAT THAT QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE INFORMATION COMES INTO PLAY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOUR STAFF, YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD FROM YOUR STAFF, YOU WILL HEAR FROM YOUR STAFF DURING THIS PROCESS. AND SO YOU'VE SEEN SEVERAL DISTRICTS AROUND YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE IN THE HEADLINES OR 11 SUPERINTENDENTS HAVE LEFT, YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST 90 DAYS. AND YOU'VE SEEN SEVERAL OF THOSE DISTRICTS HAVE GONE WITH AN INTERNAL CANDIDATE. AND THERE'S PROBABLY A REASON THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WE KNOW THEM, WE LOVE THEM. THEY KNOW US, THEY LOVE US. LET'S ALL MOVE FORWARD. IF IF WHERE YOU'RE HEADED IS WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, THEN THAT MAY BE AN OPTION, BUT WE WILL STILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. SO I CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S IT'S A MUST. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FROM DAY ONE, RIGHT, WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND. BUT I THINK I THINK THE YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE LEADERSHIP QUALITY IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW IS EMPATHY TOWARD YOUR COWORKERS AND TOWARDS THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE SUPERVISING. AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHERE PEOPLE THAT ARE 58 YEARS OLD CAME FROM. RIGHT. BUT BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT THAT IF IT IS SOMEONE WHO'S NOT FROM TEXAS OR WE CAN HELP THEM OVERCOME AND I THINK THEY CAN HELP THEM OVERCOME. BUT I THINK THERE IS VALUE IN BEING FROM TEXAS AND UNDERSTANDING RICHARDSON AND UNDERSTANDING THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY AND UNDERSTAND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE DEALT WITH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS FROM A TEXAS PERSPECTIVE, THAT IS PROBABLY DIFFERENT IN FLORIDA THAN IT IS IN CALIFORNIA THAN IT MAY BE IN MAINE. AND SO THERE'S THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I THINK SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN IN TEXAS OR EVEN BEEN IN, YOU KNOW, DALLAS COUNTY RATHER THAN TARRANT COUNTY, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY HAS A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO RUN A SCHOOL, PARTICULARLY DARREN. UNPRECEDENTED TIMES NOW. UNPRECEDENTED TIMES NEED TO GO AWAY. WE NEED TO GET BACK TO TEACHING KIDS. RIGHT. AND SO I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD SWIM ANSWER, IF YOU WILL. I'M KIND OF SWIMMING AROUND THE SUBJECT. YOU DID GREAT. YES. BUT BUT I THINK THERE'S VALUE. BUT I THINK THAT VALUE CAN BE OVERCOME WITH THE RIGHT PERSON. AND AGAIN, MIKE AND BARB, I'D THEY MAY BE ROLLING THEIR EYES AT ME RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW. I CAN'T TELL YOU. YOU KNOW, ABOUT HALF OF THE SEARCHES THAT I'VE WORKED ON HAVE CHOSEN AN OUT OF STATE CANDIDATE AND HAVE PROBABLY HAVE CHOSEN IN-STATE. IT JUST COMES DOWN TO FIT AND THE QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS THAT YOU CHOOSE AS A BOARD AND AND HOW THAT ALIGNS WITH WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. THOSE STATISTICS ARE INTERESTING. IT'S VERY IT'S IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A VERY INTERESTING WORLD THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS [02:25:03] FOR ALL OF US. BUT YOU ARE GOING TO SHINE AS A DISTRICT NATIONALLY. YOU'VE GOT YOU'VE GOT THE RIGHT SIZE. YOU'VE GOT GREAT DIVERSITY. YOU'RE IN A GREAT LOCATION. SOMEBODY WHO MOVES HERE FROM PICK A STATE IS GOING TO BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THEY COULD EVER HAVE, FROM PRO BALL GAMES TO HIGH SCHOOL MUSICALS THAT ARE PROBABLY BETTER THAN WHAT THEY CAN FIND AT SMU IN SOME REGARDS. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE HERE AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES OF YOU THAT I THINK I THINK YOU WILL BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO LOTS OF SUPERINTENDENTS FROM AROUND AROUND THE COUNTRY. AND SO BUT AS WE BUILD THAT PROFILE, THAT MAY BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T THINK I WOULD EVER SAY DON'T APPLY IF YOU'RE FROM OKLAHOMA. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE TALENT COMES FROM. BUT I BUT I THINK I THINK THAT WILL BECOME MORE CLEAR AS YOU GET INTO THE PROCESS. ABSOLUTELY. I APPRECIATE THAT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME, MR. LANE. YES. FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. GREAT PRESENTATION. SORRY. GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. MY QUESTION REVOLVES AROUND THE KID APPROVAL. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED. AND IT'S A GREAT SEGWAY INTO SOMETHING THAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH IS YOUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. YOU SPOKE A LOT ACTUALLY ABOUT YOUR ENGAGEMENT PROCESS AND USING STAKEHOLDER GROUPS AND ONLINE SURVEYS AND PROVIDING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA TO THE BOARD. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GREAT. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT TWO THINGS. YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD NOT OR AT LEAST IT WAS NEW TO YOU WHEN YOU CAME TO REA ASSOCIATES ABOUT MEETING WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS. CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FIRST AND THEN ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TIME FRAME THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT DOING ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT? SURE. I'LL TOUCH ON THE BOARD MEMBER AND I'LL LET BARBARA TALK ABOUT STAKEHOLDER AS FAR AS THAT BOARD MEMBER INTERVIEW, IF YOU WILL. WE KIND OF HAVE A SET OF QUESTIONS THAT WE LIKE TO USE WITH EACH TRUSTEE THAT ARE REALLY TELL US A GREAT THINGS ABOUT THE DISTRICT. TELL US THE NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT THE. TELL US THE CHALLENGES ABOUT THE DISTRICT. THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS. IT'S A PRETTY I HATE TO SAY A FORUM INTERVIEW, BUT IT'S AN INTERVIEW. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TRUSTEE GIVES US FEEDBACK IN THE SAME TOPIC. BUT THEN IF IT TAKES ANOTHER 30 MINUTES TO WORK THROUGH WHATEVER MATTER OR ISSUE WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH, WE DO THAT AS WELL. A LOT OF THOSE ARE PHONE INTERVIEWS. BUT AGAIN, I'M CLOSE. IF WE NEED TO MEET FOR COFFEE, WE CAN KIND OF GO THROUGH THAT. THERE'S BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SET PART OF THAT INTERVIEW AND THEN THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN OPEN ENDED PART OF THAT INTERVIEW WHERE WE UNDERSTAND AS A TRUSTEE, WHAT YOU SEE ARE SOME OF THE LEADERSHIP QUALITIES, LEADERSHIP, LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES THE DISTRICT'S FACE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT LEADER WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE ONE OF SEVEN. RIGHT? YOU'RE ONE OF A TEAM. SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW WE HANDLE THOSE INTERVIEWS. AND IF IF WE'RE SELECTED, THOSE INTERVIEWS COULD START AS EARLY AS TOMORROW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TODAY IS. PROBABLY BE FRIDAY BECAUSE WE KIND OF DIVVY THOSE THINGS UP AND EVERYBODY'S CONTACT INFORMATION. BUT WE WANT TO SPEAK WITH EACH OF YOU KIND OF OFFLINE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THOSE WOULD ALL BE DONE WITHIN THE WEEK. AND THEN, BARB, YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE OTHER PART, JUST TO ADD ON TO WHAT DAVID SAID. WE DO HAVE CONTINUAL UPDATES WITH THE BOARD AS WELL. WE'LL COME BACK AND MEET WITH YOU, BE SHARING INFORMATION, GATHERING INFORMATION BACK FROM YOU. SO IT'S NOT JUST A ONE TIME, IT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS WITH THE BOARD. WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRUST IS AROUND TIME SPENT WITH EACH OTHER, TRANSPARENCY, VULNERABILITY, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. SO THAT'S WHAT WE WORK TOWARDS AS FAR AS THE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER THAT YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE. THEY CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM ONE WEEK TO TWO WEEKS. WE TRY TO DO THEM, SCHEDULE THEM PRETTY MUCH BACK TO BACK. WE HAVE DONE THEM BOTH VIRTUALLY AND FACE TO FACE. SO IT DEPENDS ON YOUR WISHES AND WILL THERE ALSO, BUT IT CERTAINLY WOULD TAKE NO MORE THAN TWO WEEKS TO DO. AND WE WE HAVE OFTEN DONE THEM IN ONE WEEK. WE JUST SCHEDULE THEM ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER. AND THEN DAVID AND I AND MIKE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO HELP YOU OR TO LEAD THOSE FACILITATE THOSE STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS. AND SOME OF THE ONES THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SCHEDULE HONESTLY OR WE DID A WE DID A DISTRICT OF SMALL DISTRICT. THEY HAD ABOUT EIGHT MUNICIPALITIES IN THE DISTRICT. AND WE WANT TO VISIT WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND IT WAS JUST HARD TO COORDINATE SOME OF THOSE SCHEDULES. BUT YOUR STAFF TEND TO BE A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE. THEY'RE READY TO COME TALK YOUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, I'LL SAY THE HARDEST PART IS TO GET PEOPLE ENGAGED, TO GET FEEDBACK FROM EVERYONE. BECAUSE I'LL SAY THIS, YOU CAN ENGAGE AS AS MUCH AS YOU EVER, EVER HAD AND YOU'LL STILL GET AN EMAIL. I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'LL KIND OF PULL YOUR HAIR OUT IF YOU SO [02:30:04] TRUSTEE LYNN, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR YOUR QUESTIONS? YES, THAT WAS GREAT. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY PROVIDING INPUT INTO THAT. THAT WAS THAT WAS THAT WAS GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LYNN. MISS TIMMY. OKAY. THANK YOU, GUYS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION WITH US AS WELL. I WAS LOOKING OVER THE INITIAL APPLICATION AND I SAW THAT THERE WERE SOME SEARCHES THAT YOU HAD CONDUCTED AND OTHERS YOU HAD ASSISTED IN. AND SO I WAS JUST KIND OF WONDERING THE ONES THAT YOU'VE CONDUCTED ACTUALLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND YOUR EXPERIENCE THERE? I WAS JUST HAVING A HARD TIME DECIPHERING THAT. SURE. I'VE DONE, I GUESS, ONE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ONE IN ARKANSAS, AND THEN I'VE ASSISTED WITH SEVERAL IN THIS REGION. AND WHEN YOU SAY ASSISTED, THAT MEANS JUST WORKING WITH ANOTHER COMPANY THAT WAS PRIMARY. NO, NO, NO. WORKING WITH RAY AND ASSOCIATES, WHETHER I WAS INTERVIEWING SOME OF THOSE CANDIDATES, WRITING REPORTS, PROVIDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION, THAT SORT OF STUFF. OKAY. SO THEN ON Y'ALL'S, WHEN YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE WHOLE PIECE, LIKE IN THE COVER LETTER THAT THAT WAS SENT. SO WHEN IT SAYS ASSISTED ON THERE AND IT HAS LIKE PLANO AND SOME OF THE OTHER DISTRICTS THAT ARE LISTED IN TEXAS, DID YOU GUYS ASSIST ANOTHER FIRM WITH THAT OR WAS THAT LIKE A CONDUCTED PRIMARY PLACEMENT? I'M JUST I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SCOPE AND UNDERSTANDING OF EXPERIENCE IN TEXAS. AND ARE YOU LOOKING AT PAY, I GUESS, AT OUR. WELL, IT WAS IT WAS THE IT WAS THE INITIAL APPLICATION THAT WAS SENT IN AND IT WAS THE COVER LETTER THAT WAS ATTACHED TO THAT. SO RAY AND ASSOCIATES DID THOSE SEARCHES. OKAY. YOU'RE PRIMARILY ROUND, RIGHT? WAXAHATCHEE, AUSTIN, PLANO. THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF THOSE RAY AND ASSOCIATES OR ANOTHER ANOTHER. DAVE RIGHT. YES. ONE OF THE TEXAS BASED PEOPLE HELPED WITH THOSE AND SO THEY DIDN'T PRIMARILY CONDUCTED THAT. WAS THE HELPING WITH IT OR WAS THAT A PRIMARY? I WOULD HAVE DONE THE PRIMARY SEARCH. OKAY, PERFECT. THAT'S HELPFUL FOR ME. OKAY, GREAT. AND THEN AM I OKAY TO ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? MS. HARRIS. OKAY. AND THEN CAN YOU GUYS TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY JUST THINKING ON OUR SHORT TIMELINE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, SAYING THAT THEY'RE LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE 50 TO 60 APPLICANTS. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY AN ESTIMATE, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU GUYS SEARCH AND RECRUIT FOR THOSE SO THAT WE SO THAT THERE'S OUTSIDE OF JUST POSTING AND LIKE JUST WHOEVER APPLIES, HOW DO YOU GUYS ENSURE THAT WE HAVE GOOD QUALITY CANDIDATES? THAT WOULD BE A MATCH AS WELL. SURE. WELL, AGAIN, AS SOMEBODY MENTIONED EARLIER, SUPERINTENDENTS OR INTERESTED SUPERINTENDENTS TEND TO GO TO THOSE SITES. AND LOOK, I HATE TO ADMIT, WHEN I WAS AN EPISODE I HAD PASSING THAT DOT PULLED UP EVERY DAY, YOU KNOW, AND WOULD LOOK AT THOSE THINGS. BUT WE ALSO, AS FAR AS IN TEXAS, I HAVE RELATIONSHIPS. YOU KNOW, GORDON TAYLOR IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE. CLYDE STILLMAN'S A GOOD, YOU KNOW, THE REGION CENTER DIRECTORS, EDUCATION SERVICE, CENTER DIRECTORS THAT WE TOUCH BASE WITH THEM AND SAY WE'RE DOING THIS SEARCH. DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A GREAT CANDIDATE TO ASK KEVIN BROWN, THE DIRECTOR? THERE IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO WE'VE KNOWN DID OUR MASTER'S WORK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, HE'S SOMEBODY ELSE THAT WE REACH OUT TO. YOU KNOW, WHO WHO WOULD BE GOOD FOR THIS? YOU KNOW, MIKE'S GOT HIS NETWORK. BARB'S GOT HER NETWORK. THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO, IF YOU SELECT US, IT WOULD EITHER BE THE NIGHT OR IN THE MORNING. WE SEND A BLAST OUT TO OUR 108 CONSULTANTS NATIONWIDE AND SAY, HERE'S THE DISTRICT, HERE'S SOME INFORMATION, WHETHER IT'S NICHE OR ARTICLES, YOU'RE THIS INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE. HERE'S A SEARCH. DO SOME RESEARCH. DO YOU HAVE CANDIDATES THAT YOU'D THINK WOULD BE INTERESTING, INTERESTED? AND THEN OUR CONSULTANTS WILL START GETTING ON THE PHONE JUST LIKE I WILL IN TEXAS, AND I'LL GET A CALL FROM A CONSULTANT IN NEW JERSEY. HEY, THIS PERSON'S INTERESTED. COULD THEY BE A CANDIDATE? ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS I WAS ASKED IS, HOW'S THE BOARD? YOU KNOW, AND SO AND YOU SO MOVING FORWARD, YOU'RE AS GOOD A SALESPERSON FOR THE DISTRICT AS THE DISTRICT IS, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'LL BE THEIR BOSS. BUT PRIMARILY THROUGH THAT REACHING OUT THERE, THERE ARE PROBABLY 15 PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT ARE SUPERINTENDENTS THAT I'M THINKING, BOY, THEY WOULD THEY WOULD BE INTERESTING TO TALK TO. I ALSO DO FINANCIAL ADVISORY WORK FOR SOME SMALLER DISTRICTS, HELPING THEM WITH BONDS AND REFUNDING AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND SO THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT I'M THINKING OF THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I KNOW AND WE JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S A I SAY A PHONE TREE, LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE ICE DAYS, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A PHONE TREE WORKING THROUGH, BUT PRIMARILY WITH OUR CONSULTANTS AND WITH THOSE CONTACTS WE HAVE AT REGION CENTERS AND OTHER STATE ASSOCIATIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE AND EVEN IN SOME OF THE OTHER STATES, WE'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW THEM THROUGH SOME OF THE OTHER SEARCHES. SO IT'S JUST USING THAT NETWORK AND REALLY KIND OF GETTING AFTER IT. WE WILL LITERALLY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE AND WE TAKE THE ASSOCIATES THAT DAVID REFERRED TO. WE ALSO HAVE THIS LIST WITH A SIGNIFICANT LIST THAT'S OVER 2000 THAT WE COMMUNICATE WITH REGULARLY. THEY REGISTER WITH US EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THEY WILL BE NOTIFIED RIGHT AWAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE AWARDED, IF AND WHEN WE'RE AWARDED THIS. AND THEN I WILL TELL YOU THAT OF OUR AND OBVIOUSLY THE ADVERTISING THAT WILL RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT YOU CHOOSE TO DO IS HELPFUL. BUT RIGHT NOW, IN THIS SHORT A TIME FRAME, IF YOU IF YOU SEE THAT IT'S REALLY HAS TO [02:35:02] HAPPEN NOW, YOU HAVE AN INTERIM LINE AND YOU COULD DECIDE TO EXTEND IT. THAT'LL BE YOUR CHOICE. AND THAT WOULD BE A CONVERSATION WE CAN HAVE, BUT WE CAN DO IT BY THE END OF JUNE AND STILL LEAVE A 30 DAY OPEN APPLICATION PERIOD. I WILL TELL YOU, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY STRONG ABOUT. LESS THAN 30 DAYS GETS REAL CHALLENGING. PARTICULARLY THIS LATE IN THE YEAR. SO OUR ADVICE WOULD BE THAT WE HAVE TO AT LEAST KEEP IT OPEN FOR 30 DAYS, BUT WE CAN MOLD THE OTHER STUFF IN A QUICKER FASHION. AND THEN THE ONE LEVER THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE GET BETWEEN 28 AND 30,000 UNIQUE VISITS TO OUR WEBSITE EVERY SINGLE MONTH. SO I WILL TELL YOU, THE MINUTE THE MINUTE WE ARE NOTIFIED, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT GOES UP ON THE SITE COMING SOON, MEANING THE APPLICATION, IT WILL GO UP WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO OF WHEN WE'RE NOTIFIED. AND THAT'S THAT'S WHAT STARTS TO TURN THE WHEELS. AND THEN AND THEN IT IS OUR INDIVIDUAL CONTACTS AND US TALKING TO OUR ASSOCIATES AND THEN REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW THAT THAT WE PERCEIVE WHAT AT LEAST WOULD BE A DECENT FIT, A GOOD FIT, WHAT SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD CONSIDER FOR FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CHILDREN IN YOUR DISTRICT. EXCELLENT. AND THEN JUST LASTLY, JUST THE COMMUNICATION QUESTION, RIGHT? LIKE IT'S FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY FEEL UPDATED AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THE TRANSPARENCY AND THE PROCESS THAT WE'RE USING. AND I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW YOU GUYS WORK WITH BOARDS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE. SURE. I'M WORKING WITH YOU. WE PROVIDE YOU REGULAR UPDATES, HOWEVER REGULAR YOU NEED THEM. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU'LL HAVE MY CELL PHONE NUMBER, YOU'LL HAVE BARB'S NUMBER. BUT YOU UNFORTUNATELY, MY WIFE KNOWS I RESPOND AT MIDNIGHT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO COACH. RIGHT. BUT WE'LL BE WORKING WITH YOUR COMMUNICATION TEAM AGAIN. LIKE THE OTHERS HAVE SAID, YOU'D NEED A DEDICATED WEBSITE THAT PEOPLE CAN GO. AND I MEAN, THEY NEED TO FIND THAT SPLASH PAGE ON YOUR HOME PAGE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE AT A STOPLIGHT ON THEIR PHONE AS LONG AS THEY'RE STOPPED. RIGHT. WE CAN ADVOCATE FOR THAT, THAT WE'LL GO AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR SITE. SO THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO TO GO TO A PAGE. WE'LL NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT PROFILE OUT THERE. WE'LL WORK WITH YOU OR YOUR TEAM ON CREATING THIS FLIER THAT REALLY IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SPLASH OF HEARS. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT RICHARDSON? YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROBABLY NOT RECRUITING PEOPLE THAT ARE WANTING TO LEAVE OR THEIR BOARD WANTS THEM TO LEAVE. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE REALLY TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT YOU HOPE ARE DOING SUCH A PHENOMENAL JOB AND LOVE THEIR SITUATION. BUT MAYBE THEY'LL GO, OH, THAT COULD BE A GOOD SITUATION TOO. RIGHT? AND SO IT'S JUST GETTING AS MUCH INFORMATION OUT THERE AS WE CAN THROUGH THE NORMAL MEANS. AND IF THERE'S OTHER MEANS THAT WE NEED TO USE, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THOSE. BUT AGAIN, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, YOU'RE GETTING MOST OF YOUR SUPERINTENDENTS AREN'T 18 OR 20. THEY'RE STILL USING THE FACE PAGE AND THE TWEETER, YOU KNOW, SO THEY'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT KIND OF STUFF. THEY'RE NOT QUITE TALKING YET. BUT BUT BUT WE NEED TO GET THAT PROFILE DEVELOP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND GET A GOOD FLIER THAT WE CAN GET OUT THERE AND GET GET IN FRONT OF PEOPLE SO THEY CAN SEE. AND THEN AS FAR AS YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHAT DO YOU NEED TO ADVERTISE THOSE COMMUNITY WIDE MEETINGS? AND SOMETIMES WE'VE DONE IN-PERSON AND OFFERED A VIRTUAL MEETING AT THE SAME TIME, POTENTIALLY EVEN FOR THE SAME ATTENDANCE ZONE OR GROUP, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, TIMES HAVE CHANGED FOR PEOPLE AND EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED, THEY STILL HAVE KIDS AT HOME. I MEAN, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ENGAGED, YOU KNOW, ARE ALSO THE ONES THAT ARE RUNNING TO SOCCER OR DANCE OR WHOEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE. SO WE JUST NEED TO PROVIDE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS WE CAN, BUT STILL GET IT DONE IN A TIME FRAME. IF JUNE 30TH SET DATE, GET IT DONE IN THAT TIME FRAME SO WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION OR THAT DATA TO YOU SO YOU CAN EVALUATE THAT. AND THEN AND THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. DEPENDING ON THE ELECTIONS, THERE WILL NEED TO BE KIND OF A REFRESH, RIGHT? AND IT COULD BE THAT IF THERE'S A NEW TRUSTEE OR TWO NEW TRUSTEE, WHOEVER THAT HAPPENS TO BE, WE PROBABLY NEED TO COMMIT TO BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AT SOME POINT, WHETHER THAT'S OVER COFFEE OR TEA WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HER OR THAT HAPPENS TO BE TO AT LEAST GET THEM UP TO SPEED, BECAUSE, AGAIN, THE LAST THING YOU'D WANT IS SOMEBODY TO GET ON A BOARD AND GO, WELL, THEY WERE YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU WANT SOMEBODY THAT GETS ON BOARD AND GOES, OH, WOW, THEY REALLY THEY'VE ALREADY INCLUDED ME, RIGHT? IT'S PART OF THE TEAM BECAUSE THAT CAN HELP WITH THAT, THAT INITIAL TRUST. AND SO I THINK THAT IN YOUR SITUATION, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL. GREAT. THANK YOU. WE NEED TO PLUG IN. DAVID, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHERE YOU LIVE? IN THE IN THE AREA YOU SAID? YES, I LIVE IN SOUTH LAKE. OUT OF SOUTH LAKE, 22 MILES. YEAH. OKAY. I HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT'S ABOUT. I'LL HAVE TO GO SEE HER NEXT. SHE'S ABOUT TWO MILES FROM HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COLLEAGUES? MR. POTEET IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT THAT YOU'VE KEYED IN ON THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WE ALL ARE VERY INTERESTED IN CANDIDATES. AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER DISTRICTS IN NORTH TEXAS HAVE OBVIOUSLY BEEN INTERESTED IN THAT AS TO OR AS WELL. BUT THEY'VE A LOT OF THEM HAVE GONE INTERNAL, AS WE KNOW. [02:40:03] BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF INSTEAD OF THAT EITHER OR, YOU KNOW, I KEEP THINKING OF LIKE MONSTER.COM FROM THE NINETIES. WHAT YOU'VE GOT THAT, BUT THEN YOU'VE ALSO GOT YOUR PERSONAL NETWORKS AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW OUTSIDE OF I WOULD ASSUME IT'S SIMILAR IN, IN EDUCATION TOO, BUT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL IT'S YOU FIND JOBS THROUGH WHO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW A LOT MORE THAN JUST REACHING OUT ON A ON A PLATFORM SOMEWHERE. SO IT'S A PRETTY TIGHT FRATERNITY. IT IS. RIGHT. I'VE SEEN THAT IN A IN QUICK ORDER. BUT INSTEAD OF HAVING A EITHER WAR PLAN, I LIKE HAVING BOTH BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE COVERING A LOT MORE BASES, I THINK. AND WITH THIS KIND OF TIMELINE, AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE, I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS. AND SO SO ANYWAY, I JUST I APPRECIATE HEARING HEARING THAT WE'RE GOING TO THROW EVERYTHING AT IT, ALL THE ALL OF THAT. BUT I DO REALLY LIKE THE NETWORKS AND BEING ABLE TO EXERCISE THOSE PERSONAL NETWORKS, I THINK THOSE ARE VALUABLE. SO AND AND I'LL ADD, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A BENEFIT THAT SOME OF THESE DISTRICTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO YOU GUYS IN SIZE WHEN INTERNAL BECAUSE YOU'RE IN SOME CASES IN SOME WAYS YOU'RE NOT CHASING THOSE SAME APPLICANTS, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT TO MOVE TO THE METROPLEX. OH, THEY HIRED INTERNALLY. WELL, LET'S WAIT FOR. OH, MAN, YOU KNOW, AND SO I DO THINK YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF LOOKS FROM PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED TO GET BACK TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD OR TO THIS SIZE DISTRICT. I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK YOU'LL BE COMPETING WITH THE TWO LARGEST ONES. RIGHT, THAT ARE OPEN RIGHT NOW. SO, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. I THINK YOU'RE IN A REAL SWEET SPOT TO FIND A GOOD CANDIDATE. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR. IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HEAR. COLLEAGUES. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO HERE IN NONE, WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF OUR FIRMS THAT SPENT THE TIME TODAY TO COME OUT AND PRESENT TO THE BOARD. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR STAFF AND ANY OF OUR VISITORS THAT CAME OUT TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT FOR BEING HERE FOR THIS AFTERNOON. THE BOARD WILL NOW CONVENE TO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 551074 PERSONNEL DISCUSSION OF SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH AND 551071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY. IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO TAKE ACTION TO RECOMMEND A SEARCH FIRM TODAY, ANY BOARD ACTION WILL OCCUR AFTER THE CLOSED SESSION. WHAT'S YOUR. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT HARRIS AND EVERYONE. IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH YOU. I HOPE WE SHARED INFORMATION THAT WAS HELPFUL. AND I REALLY WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE WE WOULD BE EXTREMELY EXCITED AND UNIQUELY DEDICATED TO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR COMMUNITY. SO WE FEEL VERY HONORED TO HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION, AND WE LOOK VERY MUCH FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I THINK THE BOARD IS RETURNING TO OPEN SESSION AT 6:22 P.M.. HAVEN'T TAKEN NO ACTION WHILE IN CLOSED SESSION. WE HAVE HEARD PRESENTATIONS FROM THREE SEARCH FIRMS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THOSE PRESENTATIONS, COLLEAGUES? OH. I THINK THERE ARE ALL QUALIFIED FIRMS. I THINK THERE ARE CERTAIN ATTRIBUTES OF SOME FIRMS IS PROBABLY WEIGHED ON THE NEEDS OF RICHARDSON. AND I THINK THAT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME FURTHER DUE DILIGENCE. AND SO WE WERE. WHEN SAYING THINGS TO ME. SUDEEP YOU KNOW, I THINK ALSO JUST TO JUST VERY QUICKLY TO JUST KIND OF DETAIL WHAT MY COLLEAGUES MR. EAGER SAID THAT I THINK, YES, I WAS VERY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THREE WHO CAME FORWARD AND GREAT PRESENTATIONS. AND I THINK FOR US TO BE ABLE JUST TO FOLLOW THROUGH A LITTLE BIT MORE AND DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE. THIS IS IMPORTANT TO US. SO YEAH, WE'LL JUST MOVE FORWARD. SO I THINK THE THE CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD IS THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE RESEARCH ON THE FIRMS THAT WE SPOKE TO TONIGHT, AND WE'LL COME BACK AT A LATER TIME TO MAKE A DECISION SO THERE WILL BE NO ACTION. AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 624 ON APRIL 13. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.