Cedar Rapids schools’ interim superintendent to be appointed Monday

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids school board plans Monday to appoint an interim superintendent as Superintendent Noreen Bush will no longer be the district’s acting superintendent starting Nov. 1.

The interim superintendent likely will be named at a school board meeting on Oct. 24, at 5:30 p.m. and begin the role as early as Nov. 1, according to an email sent by board President David Tominsky to staff and families on Thursday.

“Given Superintendent Noreen Bush’s continuing health journey, she will no longer be the district’s acting superintendent effective Nov. 1,” Tominsky wrote. “ … Our continued love, care and support are with Noreen and her family.”

Bush, 51, went on medical leave in September. She was diagnosed with cancer about two and a half years ago. The school board last month accepted her resignation effective June 30.

On Monday, the school board selected an Illinois-based consulting firm — Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates — to lead the search in identifying the next superintendent as early as January. The board began meeting with the firm Wednesday to begin the search process.

Tominsky said the board chose a search firm based on the following criteria: its recruitment strategy engaging a nationwide, diverse pool of candidates; using data to drive its search; its overall success in the tenure of candidates it has placed; and the cost of services.

The school district is paying $24,500 for its services, which includes a price-match discount of $3,000, Tominsky said.

Selecting the next superintendent will have four phases: engage, recruit, select and transition, said Peter Flynn, senior associate with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, which has 34 years of superintendent experience, including in Iowa.

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