Norwin hires firm for superintendent search

Norwin will pay a Harrisburg-area consultant nearly $20,000 to oversee the school district’s search for a new superintendent.

The school board Monday split 5-4 on hiring Templeton Advantage LLC of Newport, about 25 miles northwest of Harrisburg. Templeton will charge Norwin $17,000 for its services, plus a maximum of $2,500 for travel and printing costs. The firm specializes in executive searches for school districts, nonprofits and corporations, according to its website.

Directors Bill Bojolad, Raymond Kocak, Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum and Matthew Thomas voted to hire Templeton Advantage, while Christine Baverso, Alex Detschelt, Shawna Ilagan and Nina Totin opposed the move. Detschelt sought to table hiring Templeton, but his effort was defeated by a 5-4 vote, with Baverso, Ilagan and Totin joining Detschelt in opposing the hiring at this time.

The search firm will help the school board find a replacement for Superintendent Jeff Taylor, whose resignation is effective June 30. Taylor announced his resignation last month.

The superintendent’s job probably will be advertised this week, said Thomas, board president.

Templeton was one of three firms that submitted proposals to serve as a consultant. When contacted following the meeting, Tom Templeton, founder and creative director for Templeton Advantage, said he has conducted searches for school superintendents for two decades. Templeton was recently involved in the search for a new superintendent for the Greater Latrobe School District, he said.

Templeton submitted the lowest bid of three firms and offered services after the candidates are identified that are not extra charges. The other search firms wanted additional money for those services, Thomas said.

Detschelt said following the meeting that he wanted to table hiring a search firm because the school board has received five letters from prospective candidates who are “in the Norwin community” and want the job. Detschelt said he believed it was premature to spend the money on a search firm before screening the five people who indicated they were interested in the position.

He said he was not opposed to hiring a search firm, but advertising the job will open the position to candidates outside the school district, Detschelt said.

“We prefer someone local. I think that’s an important criteria,” Detschelt said.

Thomas said following the meeting that he never received any letters from people wanting to be considered for the superintendent’s job.

Under terms of the agreement, Templeton will advertise the position; recruit, select and interview candidates; conduct background checks and assist in the transition.

If the new superintendent leaves the job within a year, Templeton would conduct another search without charging the service fee.