CLEARFIELD – Interim Superintendent Dr. J. Thomas Frantz announced that they’ve received 10 or 11 applications so far for the superintendent position at a combined committee and board meeting of the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors Monday night.
Frantz was appointed to head the district on an interim basis Monday, June 21. He stepped into his new position July 1. But as part of his temporary position, he’s given himself the task to conduct a personal, thorough search for the next superintendent.
He said he believes the district will have a positive pool of applicants from which to select former Superintendent Dr. Richard C. Makin’s successor. In an Aug. 8 news briefing, Frantz noted the timeline for filling the superintendent position.
According to him, they posted the position internally July 6, which was followed by paid advertisements from July 9 – 11. He said they planned to complete a mass mailing advertisement to selected Pennsylvania superintendents July 12.
“(In the mailing), we’ll give them all the reasons to bring their family to Clearfield,” he said. He said they’d pitch the community’s close location to Interstate 80 as well as its industry and recreation. Frantz said applications will be due to the human resource department by Aug. 6 and presented to the board Aug. 16.
He said they’ll hold a special personnel meeting for the board to review applicants Aug. 19. At this time, he said they’ll use a rubric scale to narrow their search to six, “solid” applicants. On Sept. 8, he said they’ll conduct the first round of interviews.
Frantz said they’ll host a second interview for two candidates that will be a day-long process and incorporate both school personnel and community members. He said they’ll interview the final candidate Sept. 22.
Frantz said he’s proposed they visit the community of the final candidate to speak to those whom are familiar with them. He said they’ll seek information that otherwise wouldn’t be revealed in a recommendation letter.
“I want them to know who they (the candidate) are. I want the district to know who they’re buying,” he said. As of now, he said they have a tentative hire date for Oct. 18. He said they’re aiming for a tentative start date of Jan. 3.
He said he hopes to find a candidate who plans to remain in the position for 10 years and beyond. He said he believes the Clearfield district needs “stability and longevity.”
According to him, Makin was great in the position. But he said his stay was short-term, and he’s since moved on. He said the district experiences change each time it sees a new leader.
“Every person has a different mission and goals,” Frantz said. He added he’s also lined up a slate of interviews with the mayor, chief of police and other local leaders to identify the needs of the district.
He continued, “I want to know what they need here. I’m making it a big piece of my job. I want to leave and feel good about the person in place to run this district.”