Missoula Superintendent Search Continues at No Extra Charge

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On Tuesday night, the Missoula County Public School Board of Trustees chose to pass on all three finalists for the vacant position of Missoula County Superintendent of Public Schools.

Following up on the next steps to find a new Superintendent, KGVO News reached out to Tyler Christensen, MCPS Public Information Officer who named the company behind the search.

Back to the Drawing Board in the Search for a New MCPS Superintendent

“The company that was selected to help us conduct the superintendent search is McPherson and Jacobson, and they began by gathering information from our schools in our community, and a series of community forums throughout Missoula,” began Christensen. “They traveled to each of the schools, they traveled to Seeley Lake, they compiled all of that information, and then they put together an input report for us that is available on the district website.”

Christensen related the next steps to find a new superintendent.

“They presented the information they've gathered to the board, and based on that what they heard back from the community and families and staff,” she said. “Then they undertook their search criteria, I guess you would call it, in order to narrow down the number of applicants.”

None of the Three Finalists had Everything the Trustees were Looking For

Once the candidates arrived to meet the public and the district staff and local educators, the company, McPherson and Jacobson delivered all the information they had gathered to the board of trustees to help them make their decision at Tuesday night’s meeting.

“That information was also compiled and then shared with the trustees,” she said. “At their special board meeting last night (Tuesday night), trustees reviewed all of the information that they've been given. And from that it sounds like what they heard was that no single candidate really rose above the others. They felt like they each brought some great qualities but none of them had everything that we would need to see for a district our size.”

The MCPS Spokesperson said there would be no Extra Cost for a New Search

For those who are concerned that MCPS would have to spend more money to begin the process all over again, Christensen said the total cost would not exceed the $27,000 fee that had already been paid to McPherson and Jacobsen.

“The trustees sounded like they wanted somebody who would really understand the needs in the moment and in the future of our district,” she said. “My understanding is that it won't cost the district any additional money to reopen the search. The company that we hired, in my understanding, is going to help us see this through until we select a new superintendent.”

The Missoula County School Board of Trustees will meet again on Tuesday, February 28.