The superintendent of Barnstable Public Schools oversees a district with a budget in excess of $60 million, a staff of more than 600, and an enrollment of almost 7,000. The superintendent is charged with organizing the budget, meeting and maintaining curriculum standards, and overseeing all of the schools on a day-to-day basis, among other assignments.

The next Barnstable Public Schools’ superintendent has the ability to make decisions that can possibly substantially change the course of the school district.

The Barnstable School Committee began searching for a new superintendent following the departure of Superintendent Dr. Mary Czajkowski in June of 2015. There is a separate search committee, composed of School Committee members, parents, and staff from across the district. The search committee has the duties of screening applications, interviewing a narrowed field and recommending three or four final applicants to the School Committee, who will then select the new superintendent.

But first, the search committee hoped to gain a wider perspective from all of the parents and students of Barnstable.

The search committee held two public forums on September 22 and 24. These forums were intended to give the community a chance to share their thoughts on the qualities that they feel superintendent should embody. In early October, the search committee collected all applications and began the process of selecting the candidates for interviews that will complete by November 8.

The School Committee will then interview the selected finalists in November. The plan is to announce who the new superintendent is by January 1, 2016 and have that person start no later than July 1, 2015.

Currently, school attorney William Butler is serving as the interim superintendent of schools for the 2015-2016 school year. Butler is charged with handling the duties of the superintendent and said that it is important that he “continues the important work of the former superintendent.”

Butler said that his only involvement in the search process is “advising the search committee on open meeting laws and other procedural codes.”

School Committee Chair Margeaux Weber said “We are fortunate to have Mr. Butler guiding the district as interim superintendent, along with our dedicated leadership team, teachers and staff.”

She went on to add, “I am very pleased with the work of the Search Committee as well–all of whom are contributing their time and skills to find the best possible candidate for Barnstable.”