After eight years as leader of the Northshore School District (NSD), Superintendent Larry Francois accepted a position with the Northwest Educational Service District 189 and will resign June 30. The Northshore School District Board of Directors is conducting a search for a permanent replacement for superintendent. In the event that the candidate pool does not meet the school board’s needs, it will conduct an interim superintendent search and will re-launch a permanent superintendent search in the fall. The school board will use the same process and search firm for considering internal and external applicants.

The school board will interview Ray & Associates and McPhearson & Jacobsen on March 29 to select a search firm to conduct the district’s superintendent search.

Interviews will begin at 1:30 p.m. and each interview will last approximately 50 minutes, with 20 minutes allotted for the firm’s presentation and 30 minutes for questions and answers.

The school board’s desired criteria for the search firm are:

• Strong experience conducting a superintendent search for a district our size;

• Significant presence in the Pacific Northwest and the infrastructure to seek applicants from across the nation;

• Reasonable cost structure;

• A process and timeline that matches our needs (for instance, a robust, multi-method community engagement plan);

• Relevant and concrete references;

• A process to help the new superintendent and board create a first year set of goals and metrics of success.

Staff and community members can submit online possible search firm interview questions for school board consideration using the Superintendent Search Firm Interview Question form located on the district website at www.nsd.org/superintendentsearch.

Once the search firm is selected, the school board will develop a search timeline that will be shared with community. The school board will also develop a communication plan to keep community informed of the superintendent search process and input opportunities.

For more information, contact NSD Communications at 425-408-7670.