SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH INFORMATION
Thank you for your interest in the Ocean City School District Superintendent position. Ocean City School District is “committed to excellence” with the help of our highly qualified, excellently prepared, well-trained, and intrinsically-motivated staff. With three schools, well over two thousand students and staff, numerous options in education, NJ’s Teacher of the Year, and NJ’s Superintendent of the Year, our district is always working for the students.
TIMELINE:
- April 28, 2021 - The Ocean City Board of Education approved the retirement of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kathleen Taylor, effective August 1, 2021.
- May 1, 2021 - The Ocean City School District Board of Education (the “Board”) seeks the services of a consultant to assist with the search for and selection of a new Superintendent of Schools.
- May - June 8, 2021 - The Board conducts interviews with various executive search firms that have submitted proposals to assist the school board with their search process for a new Superintendent.
- June 9, 2021 - At the June BOE meeting, The Board selected Strategic Educational Advantage (SEA) as the consultants to assist the school board with the search plan and recruitment process for a new Superintendent.
- July 6, 2021 - BOE Work Session: SEA consultants work with the BOE to develop the search plan/ recruitment process for the next Superintendent of Schools. Focus Groups/Individuals/Open House Forums will be scheduled and the Online Survey will be adopted to ensure full community participation in developing the profile of the next Superintendent of Schools.
- August 15 - September 30, 2021 - Online Survey: Community members will provide input on the strengths and qualities desired in the next Superintendent. This profile will be essential in developing the criteria for the search.
- October 12, 2021 - Stakeholder Input: SEA will hold 8 focus groups (as determined by the BOE), including an evening community forum with stakeholders to gather public input on the strengths and qualities desired in the next Superintendent.
- January 26, 2022 - BOE Work Session: BOE meets with SEA to review and provide feedback on a draft Leadership Profile Report and desired characteristics for the Superintendent candidates and review/edit the draft profile for posting on the district website. SEA will present a summary and analysis of the survey results and forum comments.
Candidate Profile: Leadership Profile Report and Desired Characteristics are finalized.
SEA will provide the Board with options and places to advertise with estimated costs, as well as provide information/assistance to the Human Resources department for their submission of advertisements/ posting.
Formal advertisements will be published, and consultants will start actively recruiting candidates that fit the Profile developed with input from all stakeholders.
- February 2022 - Search Firm Interviews: Search firm screens applications and interviews candidates. The Board of Education receives resumes of all applicants.
- February / March 2022 - SEA meets with the BOE to select a slate of approximately 6-10 candidates to interview.
- March / April 2022 - BOE will conduct Semi-Final Rounds of interviews.
- March / April 2022 - BOE will conduct Final Round Interviews.
- April 2022 - BOE will conduct the Final Search Process (TBD-Site Visits;Open House; Contract Negotiations etc)
- April / May 2022 - The Ocean City Public School District Board of Education appoints the next Superintendent of Schools. (Start date finalized after Board of Education approval)
SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH FIRM - STRATEGIC EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGE:
Strategic Education Advantage search firm is made up of three education professionals, Dr. Frank Auriemma, Ms. Judy Rattner and Dr. Michael Kuchar. SEA associates have extensive experience and broad educational backgrounds. Through continuing experience in school districts and university work, they are aware of current educational issues and have ongoing professional relationships with leaders in education nation-wide. SEA is experienced and sensitive to key recruitment factors such as student demographics, changes in enrollment size, ethnicity and poverty level. These factors are vital to a highly successful leadership search process. All associates of SEA have worked with a national Search consulting firm and for the past few years have worked independently as Search consultants as well as educational consultants for school districts in New Jersey/New York. In addition to executive Search consultants, SEA also provides administrative and Board retreats, demographic studies, strategic planning, special education audits, executive coaching, and other professional development opportunities. SEA has partnered with the New Jersey Association of School Superintendents and are uniquely qualified to assist boards with their Search for new leaders due to four critical factors: 1) Extensive experience recruiting talented school leaders and thoroughly vetting their experiences. 2) The ability to spend the time needed to meet with the Board, staff and community to develop a candidate profile that highlights the skills and qualities needed in the next Superintendent. 3) The ability to work with the Board until the Board is confident they have the best candidate to lead the school district. 4) Lastly, standing behind their work ethic.
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT:
Dr. Thomas Baruffi will be taking on the role as Interim Superintendent for the Ocean City School District. Baruffi began teaching in 1983 in the Folsom School District. In 1994, he became the Chief School Administrator in Folsom where he served for six years. In 1999, he became the principal of the Seaview School in Linwood and was appointed as the Superintendent the following year. Baruffi served as the Superintendent in Linwood until he retired in 2014. From 2009 through 2014 Baruffi served as a Shared Superintendent between the Linwood School District and the Mainland Regional High School District. Upon retirement he has served as an Interim Superintendent in several school districts beginning in Mullica Township (2014 – 2016), Somers Point (2016 – 2018), and Margate (2018 – 2021).
Baruffi is 61 years old and lives in Ocean City with his wife Kathryn, who is a nurse, and has have three children, Lauren (27) who lives and works in San Diego, but expects to be moving back to the east coast by this winter, Matthew (25) who is a staff sergeant with the 177th fighter wing and just returned from Afghanistan as “one of the last veterans to serve in the longest war in US history, and a son Ryan (23) who works for an accounting firm in Philadelphia, where he resides.
NEWS & EVENTS:
8/4 Press Release - Ocean City School District Officially Launches Search for New Superintendent
8/20 Press Release - OCSD Develops Community Survey to Aid in Search for New District Superintendent
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