By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

HOOVER—The Hoover Board of Education held a special-called meeting to hear a presentation of community feedback on important qualities for the school system’s next superintendent from the Alabama Association of School Boards on Feb. 10.

As part of the AASB’s superintendent finder service, community feedback was gathered through public online surveys, telephone surveys and community meetings. AASB education consultant Dr. Kendy Behrends presented the data to the BOE during the Feb. 10 meeting.

Approximately 80 community members attended the meetings held by the AASB, and 927 individuals answered online or telephone surveys, a high level of community participation, Behrends said.

“You had good participation,” Behrends said. “I’m pleased with that and I hope you are also.”

The results had a 3.2 percent margin of error, meaning the results are “within 3.2 percent of what you would get if you queried the entire population of Hoover,” Behrends explained.

“Our purpose today is to get a profile, a snapshot, of what we’re looking for in this process,” Behrends said.

According to data generated by the meetings and surveys, the Hoover community listed integrity, honesty and experience as the top three personality traits the next Hoover City Schools superintendent should have.

The community indicated ensuring student safety, challenging students to achieve academic success and creating a positive environment for employees as top areas of expertise for the next superintendent.

Work as a classroom teacher, as an executive leader and as a principal topped the list of job experience the community desired to see in a superintendent for Hoover City Schools.

Behrends explained the AASB and the Hoover BOE will take the community feedback into account during the search for a new superintendent.

“I think this district is on a really good course,” Behrends said.

A job posting for the position of superintendent of Hoover City Schools will be listed on Feb. 17, and on April 14, Behrends said the BOE will be presented with a list of candidates.

Interviews of candidates will be conducted by the BOE from April 20-30, and Behrends said a new superintendent will be selected and ready to start on “June 30 or July 1.”