The hunt for a replacement for South Tama Schools Superintendent Jeff Berger will be led by a professional search firm and plans call for it to be near completion by April 13 or before.

School Board members voted 3-0 on Monday, Jan. 22, to hire Grundmeyer Leader Search Firm LLC, Ankeny, to seek qualified applicants to head the 1,541-pupil district. This is the same search firm employed by the district when Mary Jones was hired for the superintendent’s post in 2015 according to South Tama Business Manager Mary Boege.

The contract is for a maximum cost of $10,651.

Timeline

The expected timeline in the hiring process is:

Stakeholder survey- now – Feb. 10 Underway-Feb. 28- application process

Feb. 5- Board work session to finalize process- set salary range and benefits package, interview process and dates and survey for stakeholders.

March 6- Board meeting to review candidate pool

March 17-31- screen candidate applications, present results to school board, initial interviews with four to eight candidates.

Week of March 20- Screening interviews conducted by board members

Week of March 27- Formal interviews with stakeholder groups

By April 13- hiring complete

Interim Superintendent Has Resigned

Jeff Berger, currently serving as interim superintendent informed the school board on Jan. 8 he was resigning effective June 30 at the end of his current, one-year contract.

Berger commented, in part, “I believe that if the decision on retaining me is this difficult to reach after two months of discussion and data gathering, that I am not the right person for the position.”

Berger is being paid $140,000 annually.

Impact Aid

Board members also approved the application for Impact Aid and reviewed the district Impact Aid Indian policy and procedures.

The district receives federal funding each year in compensation for providing educational services students whose parents work or live on federal lands which is not subject to property taxation for public schools.

The policies and procedures provide for ensuring Indian participation in educational programs with recommendations presented yearly to both the South Tama and Sac and Fox (Meskwaki) school boards.

Among other items set forth are the requirement for a compliance officer to ensure policies are followed, compliant and hearing procedures and the assurance the Meskwaki Tribe will be able “to comment on the participation of Indian children on an equal basis in the school program with all other children educated by the South Tama County Community School District

Renew Drivers Ed Contract

Board members also approved renewal of a three-year contract for drivers education services with Street Smarts.

The cost to students is $360, the same amount as current charges.