Editor's note: This story has been updated to include to district's current superintendent search timeline.
Thompson & Horton LLP, the consulting and law firm that helped Cy-Fair ISD find and hire Superintendent Mark Henry, was selected by the CFISD board on June 20 to find his replacement as Henry will retire later this year. This is just one of about 70 superintendent vacancies across the state at this time, officials said.
In addition, this firm helped the district choose Henry’s predecessor David Anthony.
David Thompson and Mike Moses presented their case in the final round of search firm candidates June 20, and they were unanimously chosen over the other finalist, JG Consulting.
“I'd like to thank both firms for coming out, and I believe both were very well qualified [in] their presentation and their ability to name our next great superintendent,” Trustee Gilbert Sarabia said.
While not exclusively a search firm, Thompson & Horton specializes in helping larger suburban school districts in the state find superintendent candidates. They began conducting candidate searches 22 years ago and have conducted 200 successful contracted searches, Thompson said.
The firm’s primary office is located in Houston, but it also has offices in Dallas, Austin and Fort Worth, and their work in legal services and school administration in Texas gives them a network of candidates to help school boards successfully fill the superintendent role.
CFISD board members will be asked for nominations for focus groups participants, which the firm uses to help narrow down the search. In addition, they recommended a web-based survey for the public to weigh in on their preferences for the vacant position to be placed on the district website.
The search will cost $30,000 plus expenses, and a final invoice will be delivered to the district after the candidate is chosen to avoid premature disclosure of the candidate's identity, Thompson and Moses said.
A tentative timeline
- June: The firm begins advertising the job posting.
- July: The recruitment processes continues
- September-November: Community and staff input is reviewed, applicants are interviewed, and the lone finalist is selected.
- January: The new superintendent will assume the position.
