MERIDIAN TWP. – The Okemos Public Schools hired the Michigan Leadership Institute to lead the search for the district’s new superintendent during a board meeting on Nov. 24.
The school district is ready to embark on a search to find a new leader after superintendent John Hood announced his retirement earlier this month. He’ll work in the district until March 25, according to the letter he wrote to the Okemos community.
Hood has worked in the district since 1995, originally hired as a sixth and seventh-grade teacher at Chippewa Middle School. He also went on to serve as principal at Edgewood and Wardcliff elementary schools before becoming assistant superintendent. He started his tenure as district superintendent in January 2019.
As Hood’s tenure wraps up in the district, the board discussed next steps to find who will be taking over the role.
Three different firms submitted proposals for the search, including the Michigan Association of School Boards, the Michigan Leadership Institute, and national search firm Ray & Associates, based in Iowa.
The board primarily discussed differences between the proposals from the Michigan Association of School Boards and Michigan Leadership Institute, citing the cost of the third proposal as a reason not to move forward with them. The Ray & Associates proposal had a cost estimate of $25,750, not including estimated expenses for any candidate interviews.
The Michigan Leadership Institute’s proposal had an $8,200 fee, with up to $1,000 in travel expenses. The proposal from the Michigan Association of School Boards had an $8,488 cost, which included consultant lodging and mileage. Additional fees could be added for things like supplemental advertising and behavioral assessments.
Board President Tom Buffett said the board has worked with both the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Leadership Institute in the past. The district worked with the Michigan Leadership Institute during this year’s board retreat, bringing some additional familiarity.
Trustees Katie Cavanaugh and Andrew Phelps said they both reached out to lots of boards to check references, and heard a lot of great reviews about the process with the Michigan Leadership Institute.
When checking references, Buffett said he heard from various school board members that have also worked with the firm who said the Michigan Leadership Institute allowed for a lot of flexibility in the planning process.
The board unanimously approved a motion to select the firm.
Andrew Ingall, regional president of Southwest Michigan for the Michigan Leadership Institute, helped lead a work session at the end of the meeting, where he explained the process for the search, as well as the guarantees the institute offers.
During the work session, the board discussed different ways to engage with community members and stakeholders, as well as an estimated timeline. The board will meet on Dec. 8 to finalize the candidate profile and set interview dates for the spring.
“The truth is, we’re looking for the very best fit for Okemos Public Schools,” Ingall said. “We certainly want the best qualified, the best possible candidate, but you might have two candidates that are very equal in their qualifications, or might be slightly different. There are going to be some nuances that might make one candidate a better fit for you than another candidate.”
He said he wants the district to find the right fit for the district, because it can bring better longevity and service to the community, board and district.
The proposed timeline would have interviews taking place in January and February, with the new superintendent getting hired during the March school board meeting, with a start date between April 1 and July 1.
Hood’s retirement opens up another high-profile superintendent job in the area. Lansing School District Superintendent Ben Shuldiner’s contract with Seattle Public Schools was approved during a board meeting on Nov. 19. He’ll be leading the biggest public school district in Washington state starting Feb. 1, 2026.
The Lansing Board of Education has not announced how it will proceed with filling its superintendent role.
– Contact Karly Graham at kgraham@lsj.com. Follow her on X at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Okemos Public Schools board selects superintendent search firm
Reporting by Karly Graham, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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