Time for MISD and the community to move on together

Tuesday’s news that MISD Superintendent Sylvester Perez is set to retire at the end of the school year was unexpected to say the least. We expected he would be part of the news made at the school district's board meeting Tuesday. Thought the headline would read “Superintendent gets contract extension.” That, as we all know by now, was not the case. He opted for retirement, and MISD begins the process of finding the next superintendent.
There is not much we can suggest about the actual selection of the next superintendent. State law allows for a pretty simple superintendent selection process. The school district can receive all the applications they want, can interview anyone they want, bring as many back for a second interview and all they have to tell the public is who their "lone finalist" is. Not exactly open government at its best, but that is the hand we all have been dealt.
What we will ask is for is a change-up, of sorts. Do the process like we expect. Hire a search firm if that is in the best interest of the district, but before the real heavy lifting takes place, have a conversation with the community.
Find out not only what the community wants in its next superintendent but what it expects out of the school district. Have a couple forums, say at a location like Midland Center, and invite everyone -- teachers, former students, parents, taxpayers, community leaders. Then take notes and answer questions when needed. Be prepared to explain concepts, like early childhood and grade reconfiguration.
I expect the result will be a worthwhile discussion on education in Midland -- what we do well and what we don't do as well. We will hear from you the needs of a district not exactly in pristine condition. And we will get a chance to say what's on our mind. There is some risk-reward with this approach. The risk is some people may say some things you may not agree with. The reward is a potential community buy-in that will help lay the foundation for an even more successful superintendent search.
As for the Sylvester Perez, we thank him for his service and wish him well. But now it is time for the community and this school district's board to move forward. And we hope they will do so as one.