On Wednesday, Longwood University and the Virginia School Board Association (VSBA) made pitches to the Prince Edward County School Board seeking to aid the division in the search for its next superintendent.

Longwood University President W. Taylor Reveley IV said that the university would offer to conduct a search for free and proposed holding a public forum with the finalists for the position. The VSBA said it had been conducting searches for 40 years, and would charge about $5,500

to conduct the search.

“The selection of a new superintendent is the number one most important decision that the [school] board will make,” VSBA’s assistant executive director Peter Sengenberger said during the meeting.

He said the VSBA is responsible for the placement of 75 of the current 132 superintendents in Virginia.

He said 30 of the 75 superintendents were placed within the last two years.

“You need that leader that’s the best fit not only for the board, but the community as a whole,” Sengenberger said.

Dr. David Smith, the current school chief, said in December that he would not seek to renew his existing contract, which expires in June.

Throughout the VSBA’s presentation, Sengenberger outlined the process that the association would adhere to if selected to conduct the search.

He said a nationwide search would be conducted, and while the VSBA would assist with the search process, the organization would not select the superintendent. The final decision is made by the school board.

“You all have an advantage in that you have to announce your new superintendent within 180 days of your current superintendent’s departure,” he said.

Smith’s contract does not expire until June 30, leaving the school board 180 days from July 1 to find a new superintendent for the division.

“You have access to all of the applicants that apply to the position,” Sengenberger said to the school board. He said if the VSBA was chosen to conduct the search, public relations support would be included, along with contract legal review at no additional charge.

The board would also be invited to VSBA’s office in Charlottesville after the new superintendent is selected for a full leadership development day.

“It’s a good opportunity to work with the new superintendent,” said Sengenberger.

The projected costs for the VSBA’s service is based on division size, and, according to Sengenberger, would total approximately $5,500 plus expenses.

He said expenses could be related to the travel fees associated with bringing clients in for interviews.

“I would dearly like to be helpful, however I could,” said Longwood University’s President W. Taylor Reveley IV. “Part of what maybe is in your mind is that the community may well be a transformational juncture, and I think that’s something to really contemplate.”

He said the history within Prince Edward is something that will be attractive to the right candidate.

“I’m from a family of educators,” Reveley said. He said that hiring people is his expertise, and in order to conduct Prince Edward’s superintendent search, he would tap into some of the networks he has to recruit a shining star to the community.

“I would do it myself,” Reveley said.

The search process would be conducted at no cost to the school board and Reveley said Longwood University would bear the costs for candidates to come interview and for the school board to visit sites of potential candidates.

“The great opportunity really is there,” he said.

Reveley said if he was chosen to conduct the search, the school board would have the opportunity to have a public forum with the finalists.

Sengenberger said the VSBA does not disclose candidates and strongly advises against doing a public forum with potential candidates.

“I just kind of think that puts us at a disadvantage, frankly, but that’s my opinion,” said School Board Member Beulah Womack, on the inability to potentially have a public forum.

The school board will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. to hear a presentation from BWP & Associates, a private search firm.