Client Feature: Ashland School District
Superintendent Search Landing Page Example
About the Search
The current Superintendent of Ashland School District, Samuel Bogdanove, will retire from the district at the end of this academic year. His dedicated service and leadership, especially in the last three years as Superintendent, have been instrumental for the district.
The task of selecting a new Superintendent is now underway, a pivotal decision for the continuity and growth of the district. The Ashland School District Board of Directors, keeping in mind the distinctiveness and vitality of the community, has engaged the services of Human Capital Enterprises. This consultancy will guide a thorough recruitment procedure throughout the academic year. The chosen Superintendent will assume the role in July 2024.
Important Resources
Search Updates
February 20, 2024 Update: Ashland School Board of Directors Announces Dr. Joseph Hattrick as Incoming Superintendent
The Ashland School District Board of Directors has announced Dr. Joseph Hattrick as the next Superintendent of Schools for Ashland School District. The decision took place during a special board meeting held on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
Dr. Hattrick currently serves as Superintendent of Rainier School District in Rainier, Oregon where he has worked since 2020. He brings a rich background in education having served in the roles of teacher, social worker, principal, and superintendent in public, private, and online schools. In addition, Dr. Hattrick has served as adjunct professor for several colleges and universities as well as a child therapist. Dr. Hattrick holds his National Superintendent Certification through AASA and leads Oregon’s efforts in equity work as the president-elect of the COSA Equity Board.
Dr. Hattrick attended Western Washington University and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Human Services. He then earned his Master of Social Work and Public Administration Certificate from Eastern Washington University. Dr. Hattrick earned his Post-Masters Principal Certificate from Western Washington University in 2007 and his Doctorate of Organizational Leadership and K-12 Education from Grand Canyon University in 2019. In addition to his superintendent’s license, Joseph also holds an Oregon School Social Work License.
The selection of Dr. Hattrick comes as a result of a nationwide search process conducted by the Ashland School District Board of Directors and Human Capital Enterprises since October 2023.
Ashland School District Board Chair Rebecca Dyson shared, “We are thrilled to announce that following a nationwide search that brought us a wealth of extraordinary candidates, the Board has hired Dr. Joseph Hattrick as Superintendent of the Ashland School District! Dr. Hattrick comes to our district with wide ranging experience as well as deep roots in Oregon and we are very excited to introduce him to the Ashland community. We wish also to express our gratitude to all those who helped guide our search through responses to the Superintendent Survey, and especially to those who served on the community panel which interviewed the top candidates and helped inform our final selection. Welcome, Joseph!”
“I am deeply humbled and honored to have been selected to join the Ashland School District as your next superintendent. I want to thank the Ashland School Board, staff, students, parents, and community for all of the hard work and trust placed into this process. A good fit is very important for the district and me; and after spending time in, and researching this wonderful community, I believe we have a mutual fit,” shared Joseph Hattrick. “I am sensitive to the current challenges facing the district and commit to leveraging my past experience addressing districts’ financial realities as we collaborate to improve those conditions while limiting the impact on our students. I look forward to being part of this community, joining the Ashland School District family, and calling Ashland home!”
Dr. Hattrick will assume his role as Ashland School District Superintendent on July 1, 2024.
February Update: School Board to Meet on February 20th to Review & Approve Finalist Contract
The Ashland School District Board of Directors will meet for a special public session on Tuesday, February 20th at 8:00 p.m. to review and vote on the finalist contract for the next Superintendent of Schools.
January 22, 2024 Update: Four Finalists to Advance in Interview Process
The Ashland School District Board of Directors would like to update you on the progress of the district’s search for our next Superintendent.
More than 60 applications were received for the Community Interview Panel! The Board would like to extend their gratitude to everyone that applied for this important representation of our community. These 12 individuals will have an opportunity to meet finalists and provide valuable insight to the Board in their decision.
The Board met in closed session on Saturday, January 20 with Human Capital Enterprises to interview semi-finalists for the role of Superintendent. As a result, four candidates have been selected to advance to the Community Interview Panel this week. The Board will conduct a second round of finalist interviews on February 1 and 2.*
We hope to select our next Superintendent of Schools with a public vote sometime in February, with a July 1, 2024 start date. You can access a complete timeline of the Superintendent Search and other information about the process on the district website.
The Board values your input and feedback as we make this critical decision for the District. If you have any questions, concerns, or input about the Superintendent Search process, please connect with us at school.board@ashland.k12.or.us.
*All finalists will undergo a comprehensive background check through an investigative entity and multiple telephone reference checks.
Greetings, Ashland School District Community!
The Board of Directors would like to share a quick progress update in the search for the district’s next Superintendent.
The recruitment window for applications ended on December 28th, 2023. In the coming weeks, the Board will review applications and conduct preliminary interviews to determine semi-finalists. These semi-finalists will be invited to interview in-person with the board and the Community Interview Panel later this month.
If you haven’t applied for the Community Interview Panel, it’s not too late! This volunteer group of students, staff members, parents, and community members will have the opportunity to interview Superintendent finalists on January 23rd. If you’re interested in learning more or would like to apply, please visit http://bit.ly/ASDSUPSEARCH. The deadline to apply is noon on Monday, January 8th.
If you have questions, concerns, or input about the Superintendent Search process, the Board wants to know! You can connect with the entire School Board by emailing school.board@ashland.k12.or.us.
We hope that you’ll consider playing a role in this critical process for Ashland Public Schools.
Thank you!
December 28, 2023 Update from Board Chair Rebecca Dyson
December 11, 2023 Update: Ashland School District Board of Directors Opens Community Interview Panel Application
The Board of Directors has opened applications for the Community Interview Panel opportunity in January 2024. This volunteer panel consisting of students, parents, staff, and community members will assist in vetting and interviewing superintendent finalists. Individuals applying for this panel opportunity must be available from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
The Community Interview Panel will consist of 12 individuals, including representation from the following roles:
1. OSEA Leader, designated by OSEA President (Certified Employee Association)
2. AEA leader, designated by AEA President (Classified Employee Association)
3. Student – HS
4. Student – HS or 8th Grade
5. Licensed Staff
6. Classified/Confidential Staff
7. Parent 6-12
8. Parent K-5
9. Community Member
10. Principal/Assistant Principal – to be designated by principal/assistant principal team
11. Cabinet – to be designated by cabinet
12. Central Services Staff
The Community Interview Panel application will remain open until noon on January 8, 2024. Participants will be randomly selected through lottery (unless otherwise stated above) and will be notified by the end of day on January 11, 2024.
For questions about the Community Interview Panel, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
December 4, 2023 Update: Upcoming Community Interview Panel Opportunity
The Board of Directors is currently in the recruitment phase for our next Superintendent of Schools. As the selection phase of the search approaches, the Board recognizes the critical importance of community involvement in the hiring process. The Board has chosen to convene a Community Interview Panel consisting of students, parents, staff, and community members to assist in vetting and interviewing superintendent candidates in January 2024.
The Community Interview Panel will consist of 12 individuals, including representation from the following roles in our school community:
1. OSEA Leader, designated by OSEA President (Classified Employee Association)
2. AEA leader, designated by AEA President (Certified Employee Association)
3. Student – HS
4. Student – HS or 8th Grade
5. Licensed Staff
6. Classified Staff
7. Parent 6-12
8. Parent K-5
9. Community Member
10. Principal/Assistant Principal – to be designated by principal/assistant principal team
11. Cabinet – to be designated by cabinet
12. Central Services Staff
The Board will begin accepting applications for the Community Interview Panel on December 11, 2023 on the District website. The application deadline is January 8, 2024 at 12:00 p.m.
Participants will be randomly selected through lottery (unless otherwise stated above) and will be notified prior by the end of day on January 11, 2024.
For questions about the Community Interview Panel, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
November 21, 2023 Update: Ashland School District Board of Directors Opens Application for Next Superintendent
The Ashland School District Board of Directors has opened the application window for the next Superintendent of Schools.
The Superintendent Search for Ashland’s next educational leader is guided by the Next Superintendent Criteria. The criteria was developed using comprehensive feedback gathered through 17 focus groups, leadership interviews, and an online community survey.
“The Ashland School District Board of Directors is incredibly grateful for the community’s feedback, which has provided a rich understanding of priorities and desires for our next Superintendent,” shared Rebecca Dyson, Board Chair. “We look forward to the recruitment window and are hopeful to find the right candidate for our unique and thriving school district.”
The Ashland School District Superintendent job posting is now open and can be viewed on the Human Capital Enterprises (HCE) website at www.humancapitalenterprises.com/job-openings/ashland-supt/. Applications will be accepted through December 28, 2023.
For questions about the Superintendent Search, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
November 15, 2023 Update: Ashland School District Board of Directors Finalizes Next Superintendent Criteria
The Board of Directors has finalized the Next Superintendent Criteria which is publicly available here. The criteria summarized the feedback gathered through stakeholder focus group and an online community survey. It will serve as the criteria for recruiting and selecting the next Superintendent.
November 13, 2023 Update: Next Superintendent Criteria Draft
The Next Superintendent Criteria draft document has been posted for community and public review. Members of the community are invited to provide feedback and public testimony on criteria during a Special School Board Session on Tuesday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. Testimony may be given in person or virtually through Zoom. Please visit this link for details regarding location and virtual access for the November 14 Special Session.
We anticipate that the Board will finalize the Next Superintendent Criteria during the November 14 meeting in preparation for the recruitment window, which will begin November 23, 2023.
If you have questions about the Ashland School District Superintendent Search process, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
November 10, 2023 Update: Ashland School District's Next Superintendent Criteria to be Announced 11/13/23
The Ashland School District Board of Directors would like to thank the Ashland community for the feedback received through the Superintendent Search Survey and stakeholder focus groups. The input we received through these engagements has allowed Human Capital Enterprises, our search firm, to develop the Next Superintendent Criteria for the selection of our next great educational leader.
The Next Superintendent Criteria will be publicly shared on Monday, November 13 on the District website. Members of the community are invited to provide feedback and public testimony on criteria during a Special School Board Session on Tuesday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. Testimony may be given in person or virtually through Zoom. Please visit this link for details regarding location and virtual access for the November 14 Special Session.
We anticipate that the Board will finalize the Next Superintendent Criteria during the November 14 meeting in preparation for the recruitment window, which will begin November 23, 2023.
If you have questions about the Ashland School District Superintendent Search process, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
November 13, 2023 Update: Ashland School District's Next Superintendent Criteria to be Announced 11/13/23
The Ashland School District Board of Directors would like to thank the Ashland community for the feedback received through the Superintendent Search Survey and stakeholder focus groups. The input we received through these engagements has allowed Human Capital Enterprises, our search firm, to develop the Next Superintendent Criteria for the selection of our next great educational leader.
The Next Superintendent Criteria will be publicly shared on Monday, November 13 on the District website. Members of the community are invited to provide feedback and public testimony on criteria during a Special School Board Session on Tuesday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. Testimony may be given in person or virtually through Zoom. Please visit this link for details regarding location and virtual access for the November 14 Special Session.
We anticipate that the Board will finalize the Next Superintendent Criteria during the November 14 meeting in preparation for the recruitment window, which will begin November 23, 2023.
If you have questions about the Ashland School District Superintendent Search process, please contact superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
November 3, 2023 Update: Superintendent Search Survey has Closed
The Superintendent Search Survey has closed and feedback will be used to develop the “Next Superintendent’s Criteria” for the selection process.
The Ashland School District Board of Directors appreciates the community’s involvement in this pivotal process.
The Superintendent Search Survey has closed.
Thank you for your participation!
October 26, 2023 Update: Ashland School District Superintendent Search Survey
Good morning, Ashland School District community!
As you may know our current superintendent, Samuel Bogdanove, has announced his retirement at the end of this school year. We are thankful for Samuel’s leadership over so many years in the district including serving as our Superintendent these last three years, and we wish him the best in his retirement!
Selecting a new Superintendent is one of the most important decisions a school board can make. The Ashland School District Board of Directors is committed to finding the right leader for our unique and wonderful community and we have chosen to hire a search consultant to help plan the process and conduct a nationwide search for leaders of enormous potential. This summer, after researching and talking to several firms, the Board selected Human Capital Enterprises to lead the board in a comprehensive recruitment process that will span the duration of this school year.
To lay the foundation for a meaningful search, the Board has placed priority on elevating the voice of our community. We have created a Superintendent Search Survey and are asking all students, families, staff members, and community members to participate. The Superintendent Search Survey is open now and takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
Your voice ensures that our search process reflects the needs and priorities of the Ashland community. The results from this survey will help us develop a “Next Superintendent’s Criteria” for the selection of our next Superintendent, who will join our district in July 2024.
The Board thanks you for your participation in this important process and looks forward to the search for our next great leader.
With gratitude,
Ashland School District Board of Directors
Ashland School District Superintendent Search Frequently Asked Questions
Selecting a new Superintendent is one of the most important decisions a school board can make. The Ashland School District Board of Directors is committed to finding the right leader for our unique and wonderful community and we have chosen to hire a search consultant to help plan the process and conduct a nationwide search for leaders of enormous potential. After researching and talking to several firms, the Board selected Human Capital Enterprises to lead the board in a comprehensive recruitment process that will span the duration of this school year.
How does the search process work?
The Board is working with Human Capital Enterprises to conduct a rigorous, nationwide search. The Board will seek, receive, and review all input from the community; review all candidate applications; interview candidates determined by the Board; and select the new Superintendent.
When will the new Superintendent be hired?
The Board has set a timeline to recruit, interview, and hire the new Superintendent of Schools to begin their term on July 1, 2024.
How and when do parents and other education partners weigh-in?
The Board has solicited public input on the characteristics, experience, and skills desired in the next superintendent through an online survey and in-person focus group sessions.
When will the District share the collected input with the public?
All information gathered through focus groups and the Superintendent Search Survey will be compiled, summarized, and incorporated into the “Next Superintendent Criteria”, which will be published here for community feedback on November 13 and presented to the Board with opportunity for public testimony on November 14.
Who will make the final selection?
By law, the Board is solely responsible for hiring the new Superintendent, The Board will seek, receive, and consider all input from the community, review all applications, interview those candidates determined by the Board, and select the new Superintendent.
Can we find out who is applying?
All application materials, including the names of applicants and any other personally identifiable information, are confidential.
How does this search differ from previous Ashland Superintendent searches?
Historically, Ashland’s recent superintendent searches culminated in a process whereby finalists (typically two or three) are introduced to the community through a series of public events. Stakeholders – whether parents, students, staff, or community members – weighed in and provided feedback regarding the candidates. The Board then deliberated and selected their preferred finalist to be the next Superintendent of Schools.
Conversely, the Board has chosen to engage with the community through Focus Groups and a Superintendent Search Survey with the intention of seeking high-level, high-leverage input from our stakeholders. This process does not include a public pronouncement of finalists, which as we discuss below can create a serious impediment to attracting the most exceptional talent. At the same time, it augments rather than reduces the quality of community feedback regarding the finalists.
What is the rationale for taking a different approach in this search?
1. Quality of Pool
Top-tier, experienced superintendent candidates are shying away from superintendent search processes in which their names are surfaced publicly prior to selection. This has always been problematic – but in the current era, where superintendents of great talent are in higher demand than ever before – top-drawer candidates are increasingly selective. Many successful superintendents will opt out of a search process where they will be publicly identified as finalists for a job that they may not ultimately get.
Recent superintendent searches from districts where finalists’ names are publicly revealed evidence that experienced superintendents are opting out of this kind of a process.
2. Quality of Community Feedback
Although there is sometimes a tendency to think that more feedback is better, in actuality that’s not our experience. Large-scale qualitative feedback is very difficult –if not impossible– to turn into usable feedback for the Board in the short turnaround time that is required. Other areas of concern, such as feedback from stakeholders who may have only watched a single candidate – or who have a strong bias toward a candidate and a large network of friends and colleagues – creates some complexities. Quantitative feedback on finalists in a Superintendent search is of some, but limited, value.
3. Equity
In searches where there is a large-scale amount of feedback, it can feel overwhelming to Board Directors to make sense of the various voices providing feedback. When that happens, it is not atypical that we, human beings that we are, elevate the voices most proximate to us to a higher level of influence: our spouses and partners; our neighbors; our kids; our friends; our colleagues. Members of our close circles will have observed finalist processes and they will have their opinions that they eagerly share with us. Because their opinions matter to us, we are influenced by them.
But in a search where a finite number of individuals are providing feedback – individuals who for the most part are not identifiable and represent a broad and diverse array of stakeholders –the Board will truly hear the diverse voices of a representative sample of the community.
Has this been done before?
Yes, in many places. Recent searches in Medford, Beaverton, Portland, San Francisco, and Salem-Keizer all employed a similar path.
How can the public follow this process?
Updates regarding the Superintendent search process will be posted here. The Board will also provide updates at its regularly scheduled board meetings and future press releases. If you have questions about the search process or timeline we invite you to connect with us at superintendentsearch@ashland.k12.or.us.
