Seldom (never?) in the history of Johnson County, Iowa (the "Iowa City Community School District") have the students, staff, parents, taxpayers and other residents been able to fill out a report card on the Central Administration and School Board.

This is your chance to let them know how you feel. To improve things. Don't miss it. It's easy. It's confidential. It's free. This page tells you how.

But you have to do it now. The District's search firm, The Bickert Group, is going to hold community meetings Monday, May 3, 1999. (You don't need to attend to have an impact.) Your report card goes directly to Bickert. (I'll give you the addresses.) It's going to start preparing its written report the morning of May 4. That report will be shared with the community -- when Bickert presents this "community audit" at a Board meeting May 11.

If your comments get to Bickert by May 4 they will be included in that report. If you wait they won't be. 

1. E-mail. The easiest thing for you to do, right this moment, is to send your comments to Bickert by e-mail. You don't need to attend a meeting. You don't need to pick up a form from school or download it from the District Web page. Just send Bickert an e-mail message. The e-mail address is: mmskk@aol.com

Somewhere in the "subject" field, or text, tell them it's about the Iowa City search.

Your comments will be treated in confidence. They remain Bickert's property. The originals will not be seen by the Board or administrators. (So you might want to keep a copy to compare with the Bickert report later. If you don't care about confidentiality, and would like to share a copy with me as well, feel free to do so: njohnson@inav.net But that's entirely up to you.)

2. Fax. If you'd prefer to fax your comments to Bickert, the fax number is: 630-853-3653.

3. Postal. The mailing address is: John Cahill or John Hinck, The Bickert Group, Box 89, Glen Ellyn IL 60138-0089.

4. The Form. The form is not necessary. Far better you get your comments in right away than fail to do so because of delay in getting the form. Besides, I'm about to tell you the questions on it. However, if  you do want a form you can either download it from a District Web page

or pick up a copy at a local school or public library. (The Web version is in "pdf," Adobe Acrobat Reader format; if you don't have that software you can download it for free. It creates a perfect copy of what the actual form looks like.)

There is a dual purpose to your comments, and this "community audit."

One is the opportunity to have an outside source sift through, summarize and bring to the Board what the form refers to as "significant issues or concerns." This is a value to the community that is separate and apart from the superintendent search as such.

The other purpose, of course, is to assist Bickert in its effort to match our needs to the abilities and inclinations of superintendent candidates. It does neither the community nor the candidate any favors to bring in someone who doesn't really know what they are getting in for, or what will be expected of them.

Here is the content of the form:

It requests that you indicate if you are: student, teacher, administrator, business, support personnel, parent, community.

It then asks that you:

"1. Describe the significant strengths of the District:

2. Describe the significant issues or concerns facing the District:

3. Describe the characteristics the next superintendent needs to be successful:

4. List other information you would like the Board to consider when selecting the superintendent:"

The Iowa City Press-Citizen published an op ed column of mine Tuesday, April 27, 1999, dealing with this opportunity and the desire to maximize community input. It is available from this Web site, "Offer Your Thoughts on Schools." (If you have a copy of the April 21 Press-Citizen, Board President Susan Mims has an explanatory op ed there as well.)

The Iowa City Community School District official Web page has a page dealing with the superintendent search.  It is

Thank you for participating in this all-community effort. You will make a difference. Our kids will be better for it. So will all the rest of us.