Member Lisa Minnick said Daniel Hanneken, no longer principal of a middle school in Marlborough, should have updated the committee on his work status.
NORTHAMPTON – Deeming the current pool of candidates too small, the School Committee opted Monday to start the application process for the superintendent’s job all over again.
Last week, the committee announced that it had narrowed the original pool of 14 applicants to two finalists, Irwin H. Sussman of New York and Daniel J. Hanneken of Marlborough. It subsequently learned that Hanneken is not presently the principal of a middle school in Marlborough, as his resume indicated, but was removed from that post in January.
Although he didn’t mention Hanneken by name, Dr. Joseph L. Wood of the New England School Development Council told the committee it had been “an eventful week” before explaining that his organization does not vet candidates during the screening process because it could jeopardize their current positions if word got that they are job hunting. The school system has hired New England School Development Council to assist in the search for a superintendent to replace Isabelina Rodriguez, who left in January to head the Granby school system.
According to Wood, the screening committee used a profile it compiled to whittle down the original 14 applicants to two finalists. However, Wood said it is difficult to find a candidate who meets all aspects of the profile with a field of two finalists. He suggested the School Committee renew its search.
“The timing is better now,” Wood said, noting that the school year is closer to its end. The screening committee began its original search last November. Wood said the process will not necessarily be set back four months because the committee can build on the work it has already done.
In one of the few direct references to Hanneken, School Committee member Lisa L. Minnick said he should have updated the committee on his work status if it changed since he submitted his resume.
“I think it’s appropriate to expect a candidate to be forthcoming if his or her information changes on the application,” she said.
Committee member Downey Meyer pointed out that the committee has the ability to gather information that is not confined to the interview process “passively” via the Internet and other sources. However, member James Young said he did a Google search on Hanneken and found no evidence he had been removed from his job.
Among his ideas for attracting more candidates this time around, Wood suggested the School Committee state the salary range for the job in its advertisements rather than call it “competitive with the area,” as it did last time. The range is $122,000-$140,000 a year.