Invitation to Participate in Superintendent Search Survey

Dear Families, Community Partners and Staff:

Seattle Public Schools is a thriving and diverse district serving more than 53,000 students and their families. In June 2018, Superintendent Larry Nyland’s multiyear contract will conclude. In the next six months, as governed by law, the School Board’s most important job is to hire a new superintendent who can build on the district’s success, sustain our focus on closing opportunity gaps and racial equity and ignite the entire community’s commitment to public education and our students.

This will be the first time the public has had a formal opportunity to provide feedback on a superintendent search since 2012, and we are looking forward to reviewing what matters to our families, partners, students and staff. We have hired Ray & Associates, a national leader in superintendent search processes, to assist us in this critical work.

The School Board is proud of the district’s progress. The district academically outperforms our peers in the State of Washington and nationally, leading the way in ensuring educational excellence for all students. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have effective and caring educators and staff, as well as strong relationships with our labor partners, community organizations and the city through the Family and Education Levy. The next superintendent will need to build on our success and address the opportunities and challenges of our rapidly growing city and district. We will need to continue to address both capacity and funding crises that require coordinated, cross-sector actions aimed at raising the bar for all of our students. Our collective work will set the foundation for K-12 public education in Seattle for decades to come.

As we embark on this exciting superintendent search, we are asking for your input. We want to know what leadership qualities matter most to you in a superintendent. Please complete the superintendent search survey by Jan. 19. The provided input will shape the position description and candidate selection criteria.

You are also invited to attend a community Town Hall on Jan. 18 6:30-8:30 p.m. at a location to be determined to learn more about the process and timeline. To learn more about the engagement process and for more information, visit the School Board’s superintendent search webpage.

Thank you in advance for participating in this important process. It is an honor to serve as your Seattle School Board President.

Cordially,

Leslie Harris, President

Seattle Public Schools School Board

District 6