As most of you are aware, Dr. William R. Hite has announced his resignation. Now that his departure has been formalized, we would like to take this opportunity to let you – our community – know what lies ahead as we search for a new superintendent.

The Next 80 Days

While Dr. Hite’s contract contains a 120-day notice provision, he has agreed to forgo his severance, an amount equal to six months’ salary, in exchange for an early release. His official last day as superintendent is September 30. During this time, Dr. Hite will be engaged in ensuring a seamless start to the new school year. Plans to open schools on time with adequate staffing and supplies are already underway. In August, we will name an acting superintendent to work with Dr. Hite during the transition. The acting superintendent will serve until a permanent superintendent is found.

The Search Process

One of our most important responsibilities as the Board of Education is the selection and appointment of the superintendent. We met yesterday to outline the process for finding superintendent candidates. During this meeting, we reaffirmed our commitment to making this process thorough, transparent and in partnership with all of our stakeholders. This week, we will begin accepting proposals from search firms to assist us in identifying and assessing the best possible candidates. We have every expectation that the firm will help us to select a leader who can enhance our record of achievement, provide every student with a world-class education and strengthen our connection to the community.

Community Input

Our goal is to ensure that the public receives regular communication regarding our progress. We will seek input from all of our constituents for candidate nominations and input on the future of PGCPS. We have established a website (www1.pgcps.org/superintendentsearch/), email (superintendentsearch@pgcps.org) and other communication tools that will be used to provide the most up-to-date information on the search process. Additionally, we will host community meetings and forums throughout the County to solicit your input. Starting in August, the Board of Education will hold a series of community meetings to discuss the superintendent search process. A schedule of these forums will be available on our website. We anticipate officially launching the search in fall 2012 with the intention of completing it in spring 2013. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

Our Commitment

We know that this is a critical juncture for Prince George's County and we are committed to selecting a superintendent who not only represents our community’s interests, but can best respond to its needs. The search process will be transparent with meaningful opportunities for community engagement. You will hear from your elected representatives on this board at every stage of the process. That is our promise to you. Nothing less than our children’s education, their future and the county’s progress are at stake.

We appreciate your support and look forward to your participation as the search for the next superintendent begins. If you have a question or need additional information, please let us know and we will do our best to respond in a timely fashion.