Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Search Begins For New Kimball School Administrator

The Board of Education has started the process of finding a replacement for departing Superintendent of Kimball Public Schools Troy Unzicker.

The board held a meeting in the DL room of Kimball Junior-Senior High School Friday, February 15, in order to decide upon a search firm to do the leg work in lining up candidates for the position during which time they were given a presentation by Don Hague and Jeff West of McPherson and Jacobson, LLC.

Hague and West emphasized the benefits of hiring a local firm for the job.

“We’re right here. We’re 40 miles away from Kimball. We work the Panhandle hard, because to get people to come to the Panhandle, they have to have a real reason to be in the Panhandle. We want to make sure we get a good fit,” Hague said.

They also emphasized that all of their efforts would be focused on the search for the new superintendent of Kimball schools.

“This is our only search. You won’t be one of four or five. We will give you the time and energy,” West said.

After a short deliberation, the school board decided to go with McPherson and Jacobson, LLC for their search firm to find Kimball’s new superintendent and set a list of qualities wanted in applicants for the position. The board emphasized the need for a candidate with the characteristics of financial understanding, open communication, visibility in the schools and community, leadership experience, understanding of the curriculum, and knowledge of technology.

The firm will hold an open meeting to get input from stakeholders in the community on February 26 in the Kimball High School auditorium at 6:00 p.m.

McPherson and Jacobson, LLC plans to present candidates to the board March 25 with the first round of interviews to be held the first week in April.

McPherson and Jacobson, LLC is an executive recruitment and development company with their main office located in Omaha, Nebraska. The current branch working for the Board of Education is located in Gering.