Akron Public Schools board votes to move forward with superintendent search

Akron Public Schools will move forward with a superintendent search this year.

The school board voted 6-1 Wednesday on a contract with a search firm, Ray & Associates, after an identical vote failed 3-3 Monday night.

The contract is worth $30,200 with the firm, which is based in Iowa but has Ohio associates.

Board member Job Esau Perry was the lone dissenting voice, saying he thought they should wait until next school year, citing possible additional turnover on the board by the end of the year. Three of the seven board seats are up for election in the fall.

"My humble opinion: We're kind of rushing it a little bit," Perry said. "I think we should just think long and hard before we take that vote and make the decision."

Board President Derrick Hall said the contract does not commit the board to picking a new superintendent if the search does not yield quality candidates.

Interim Superintendent Mary Outley has been serving in the role since former Superintendent Christine Fowler Mack and the board parted ways in February.

The time frame to pick a new superintendent will still be challenging, as many searches across the state and the country are already underway ahead of next school year.

But Perry said his concern was the board will have to have a strong relationship with the superintendent, and the board could look different come January.

Hall is running for City Council, but if he does not move forward in the May primary, he could run for school board in November. Board member N.J. Akbar resigned his seat last month to accept a job and was replaced this week by educator Rene Molenaur. She will have to run in the fall to keep the seat. Board member Valerie McKitrick is also up for reelection.

Board Vice President Diana Autry said she understood the point about possible turnover on the board, but picking a superintendent "is one of our main roles as a board."

"We were elected to do a job and not to wait for someone else to do the job," she said.

Contact education reporter Jennifer Pignolet at jpignolet@thebeaconjournal.com, at 330-996-3216 or on Twitter @JenPignolet.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Public Schools board votes to continue superintendent search