Phase 1: Choose a Search Firm
The Tahoma School Board unanimously selected Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) to help lead the search for Tahoma's next superintendent. Since 1987, HYA has provided support for education leaders to employ school executives, address issues related to student performance, and support aspects of school district operations. The firm has served over 1,600 school districts in 42 states, including eight districts in Washington. While HYA Associates is a national firm with a wide reach, they employ a network of over 135 localized associates who focus on the regions in which they are based. The two consultants who are working with Tahoma School District are based out of the Puget Sound region.
Phase 2: Engage Stakeholders
HYA has engaged with various stakeholder groups to help identify district strengths and weaknesses, along with the qualities, characteristics and values desired in a new superintendent. The Tahoma School Board has made clear to HYA their desire for the superintendent search process to be transparent and open for our community, as well as the need for the search to accurately reflect the opinions and viewpoints of all district stakeholders, including staff, students, parents and community members at large. The Engage phase is comprised of stakeholder interviews, focus groups and a comprehensive, research-based survey, which closed Saturday, Dec. 9. These results were compiled into a Leadership Profile Report and were presented by HYA to the Board in a public meeting Tuesday, Dec. 12.
Phase 3: Recruit Candidates
HYA began recruiting candidates to fill the role for Tahoma School District's next superintendent in December 2023. Alongside their own national network of school district leaders and recruiters, HYA has also advertised the job opening on their website and within professional school leadership networks, such as the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA). The application closed on Jan. 12, 2024. The job posting materials are still available and can be found here at the HYA website: www.hyasearch.com/job/tahoma-school-district/ .
Phase 4: Select a Candidate
During the selection phase of the superintendent search, the Tahoma School Board conducted a paper screening of all 29 applicants and narrowed their search to seven semi-finalist candidates, based on feedback presented in HYA's Leadership Profile Report. At their Jan 24. Special Board Meeting (Executive Session) , the Board conducted private interviews with the seven semi-finalist candidates. The Board then selected three finalists , who underwent an extensive background screening, as well as public interviews and community engagement sessions (Feb. 6, 2024).
The Tahoma School Board deliberated in executive session on both Feb. 6 and Feb. 7. In a public agenda item on Feb. 7 , the board unanimously voted to advance Ginger Callison and Heather Sanchez in the hiring process. The board's next step will be to request site visits at the finalists' current districts to observe their work and leadership styles firsthand, and to gather feedback from their colleagues.
A recording of the Feb. 7 school board meeting is available online , which includes the board's vote and comments on the selection process to this point.
Phase 5: Appoint & Transition
The School Board unanimously nominated Ginger Callison, Ed. D. as the Tahoma's next superintendent on Feb. 14. The Tahoma School Board will begin negotiations on a regionally-competitive contract with Callison, tentatively scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2024. The Board expects Callison to make several site visits and begin learning about Tahoma School District during spring 2024.
Questions about the superintendent search? Please email us at [email protected].