Cedar Rapids superintendent job attracts more than 20

CEDAR RAPIDS — More than 20 candidates have begun the process for being picked as the next Cedar Rapids Community School District superintendent, a search consultant reported.

Bill Attea, a consultant from the Chicago-based HYA Executive Search that has been working with the School Board, said eight of them are from Iowa.

Most of the candidates were not recruited, Attea said, and he anticipates several more candidates applying by the end of this week. He also will recruit candidates this week at the American Association of School Administrators' annual conference in San Diego.

Attea declined to comment on any specific candidates, saying they were promised confidentiality at this point. He will meet again with the School Board on March 6 to present a slate of candidates, he told board members in an email Monday.

The board's criteria for the position call for an accessible superintendent who appreciates diversity and is willing to make a long-term commitment to the district. Current superintendent David Benson announced his retirement in December and will retire June 30.

Also Monday, administrators presented the board a third possible 2015-16 school calendar, one that has classes starting Aug. 24.

In October, the board adopted a calendar with classes starting Aug. 17. But Gov. Terry Branstad and Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck decided late last year to no longer automatically grant waivers to a state law requiring classes to start the week of Sept. 1.

A proposed compromise pending in the Iowa House of Representatives would allow schools to start as early as Aug. 23. Board President Mary Meisterling said Tuesday the board will wait to see what the Legislature decides before moving forward with a new calendar.

Benson earlier this month presented a calendar that would start classes Aug. 31, in keeping with current law.

have begun the process for being picked as the next Cedar Rapids Community School District's superintendent