PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School Board met with the head of the search firm that will help it find a superintendent to lead the 3,300-student district.

Board members and Hank Harris of Human Capital Enterprises hammered out a timeline on Thursday and other details of the search process that has been fast-tracked with the goal of knowing the school district’s next leader by the first week of March.

The new superintendent would replace Marty Brewer, who announced his retirement in November.

On Harris’ recommendation, the board agreed to maintain the confidentiality of candidates throughout the selection process until they make their selection.

Guaranteeing confidentiality will allow for a better pool of candidates, he said.

“It is in the best interest of boards these days not to publicly reveal the names of finalists because a growing number of candidates, particularly sitting superintendents, aren’t willing to do that anymore,” Harris said. “It’s too fraught with their home district if their name gets out, and if they don’t get the job, they have to go back to the district which now knows they’d rather be in Port Angeles.”

Information collected from an online survey sent to parents and available on the district’s website on Monday will be used to help create criteria — qualities, experience and attributes — the board will use in selecting the new superintendent.

A limited number of focus groups will be held to gather feedback about selection criteria as well.

It is essential district staff have a role in the process, director Mary Hebert said.

“They would be the voice I value,” she said. “They have the most to gain or lose by the actions we take.”

What the district might have to pay a new superintendent was not discussed. Scott Harker, the district’s director of human resources, will present to the board at its Thursday meeting a review of superintendent salaries in school districts of similar size and demographics as Port Angeles.

Harris encouraged the community to participate in the supervisor search, Harris said.

“Fill out the survey, go to meetings, become engaged,” he said. “Boards listen to what the community has to say.”

The first opportunity for community input is Thursday’s board meeting that will start at 4 p.m. at the Wildcat Cafe at Lincoln Center, 905 W. Ninth St., where directors will be available to answer questions. At 5 p.m., the meeting will move to its regular location on the second floor, room 208. Public comment also will be taken at the meeting.

The district has set up a page on its website where people can find information about the search and take the survey. It can be found at tinyurl.com/vfwnatyj.

The board selected Human Capital Enterprises from among the five firms that responded to its request for proposals. The district will pay HCA a base fee of $19,000, plus other expenses for additional services not covered by the contract, such as organizing focus groups.

HCA conducted recent superintendent searches for the Chimacum, Sequim and Port Townsend school districts.

Search timeline

Check for changes and updates on the Port Angeles School District’s website, tinyurl.com/vfwnatyj.

• Monday, community survey becomes available

• From 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30, the school board will hold a work session to draft superintendent criteria; open for public comment.

• From 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18, the board will evaluate applications in a closed executive session on Zoom followed by an open meeting for discussion and the selection of top candidates for interviews.

• From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 22, the board will conduct its first round of interviews via Zoom followed by an open meeting to discuss finalists.

• Feb. 27-28, the board will conduct in-person interviews with finalists.

• From 9 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. March 1, the board will meet in executive session to decide on a superintendent followed by an open meeting at which a motion will be made to prepare a contract for the person it has chosen.

• March TBD, the board will announce a new superintendent.

Note: Except for the eventual hire, the names of the superintendent candidates will not be made public.

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Reporter Paula Hunt can be reached by email at paula.hunt@peninsuladailynews.com.