The Ypsilanti-Willow Run joint school board will meet Monday to hear a recommendation from the ad hoc committee spearheading the superintendent search.
Board Vice President Don Garrett, who serves on the committee, did not offer any details about what the recommendation would be — whether it would be a recommendation to hire one or more candidates to fill the superintendent role or a recommendation to adopt a particular leadership structure.
He said the committee would "lay out" what it thinks at the special meeting, which will start at 7:30 p.m. at the Willow Run Community Schools high school auditorium, 235 Spencer Lane.
At this week's Board of Education meeting, the board deliberated on the strengths of all three candidates, Ypsilanti Human Resources Executive Director Sharon Irvine, Willow Run Superintendent Laura Lisiscki and Ypsilanti Superintendent Dedrick Martin. At the end of the meeting, the board directed the search firm it hired, the Michigan Leadership Institute, to investigate what options and possible structures might exist for employing two or more people to serve as superintendent.
Michael Wilmot, president and chief executive officer of the Michigan Leadership Institute, said Monday that Michigan law requires every school district to have a superintendent, but there is some flexibility in how that gets accomplished.
"It can take a lot of different forms and that's part of what needs to be explored," Wilmot said. "We'll need the advice of the district's legal counsel and to talk to the candidates. There are a number of complications that need to be resolved in order to look at how we might be able to do this."
Wilmot added there would have to be the willingness or some interest on the part of the candidates in order for this idea to move forward.
In addition to Garrett, trustees Anthony VanDerworp and Celeste Hawkins serve on the superintendent search committee, along with a handful of community members. Garrett said the committee met Tuesday and is prepared to make a recommendation.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.