The Newtown Board of Education announced Tuesday that it is starting its search for a permanent superintendent, while also expressing its gratitude to John Reed for serving as interim superintendent of schools.

The school board has chosen CABE Search Services, an executive educational search firm, to facilitate the process. CABE Senior Consultant Jacqueline Jacoby will lead the CABE (Connecticut Association of Boards of Education) team and will be assisted by George Goens, and Mary Broderick. Dr Broderick’s work with community conversations through the William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund has brought her to Newtown previously.

The first step in the search process is to seek comments through focus groups to learn about strengths and challenges of the Newtown schools, as well as leadership qualities desired in the next educational leader. Focus groups will be scheduled with school staff, parents, students, elected officials, town staff, clergy, service providers like police and fire, business and service club leaders, and other community members in order to have a broad range of constituents provide input to the search process. An online survey will be available on the district website at www.newtown.kl2.ct.us, from mid-September through mid-October, for those who are unable to attend a focus group.

Focus groups will be held in September and October and invitations and dates will be placed on the district website with information circulated throughout the schools and community. In addition, a superintendent search link will be available on the district website and updates will be posted throughout the search process keeping everyone informed. Applications will be reviewed as received.

The application deadline is October 31. The search will remain open until the position is filled.