The first opportunity for public input regarding the search for Prince Edward’s next school superintendent is on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the county’s middle school.

Democracy is not a spectator sport, and neither is this search process.

The county’s school board is depending on the community in deciding how to craft and what to include in the profile of the next leader to take our school system to new heights — and rightly so.

And appropriately, Prince Edward citizens need to take advantage of this opportunity.

“We’re just looking for the community … to come and give us some input,” said Buffalo District Representative and Board Chairman Russell Dove. He said the board is seeking qualities and characteristics of a school chief that the community wants, or doesn’t want.

This is one of the most critical points of the search. This is the time where members of the community can make known what they want to see in one of the most influential positions in county government — a position that, with the community’s guidance and attention — can take Prince Edward’s schools to places students and teachers have never seen.

And it’s going to take community input to make that happen.