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Eugene School District 4J

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Superintendent Search

A blue banner with the text '4J Superintendent Search' in orange letters, with a blue line underneath and a small apple logo in the top right corner.

About the Search

Interim Superintendent Colt Gill has committed to serve through June 30, 2025, and support the district and school board in the search for a new permanent superintendent. The school board is responsible for selecting the superintendent, and is using a national search firm to recruit qualified candidates and ensure a hiring process that attracts the best educational leaders and values community and staff priorities.

Important Resources

Final Next Superintendent Criteria

Search Timeline 

A maroon banner with white text reads 'Parent News' and 'Information and updates from Eugene School District 4J'. The date 'OCTOBER 24, 2024' is also displayed.

 

 

 

Recent Activity

April 2025: The Eugene School District 4J Board of Directors introduced 4J’s new permanent superintendent, Dr. Miriam Mickelson, at a meeting Wednesday, April 2 at 5 p.m. at the 4J Education Center, 200 N. Monroe St. The board began a national search last fall, received community input over several weeks, distilled a large pool of outstanding candidates to a small group of finalists for interviews with the board as well as panels of staff, students, and community members in March. On Wednesday the board will appoint the new permanent superintendent to take office July 1, 2025, pending the successful completion of contract negotiations. The short meeting will be streamed online and open to the public.

March 2025: The search for 4J’s next superintendent entered its final stages as the school board interviewed finalists in executive, or nonpublic, sessions March 13-15 and then deliberated to select a leading finalist, conduct background checks, make an offer and engage in contract negotiations. Prior to that, three community panels of students, parents, staff and community members interviewed finalists March 10, providing comments and insights ahead of finalist interviews with the board and district’s executive team. The 39 participants on the community panels represent different types of students, parents, teachers and other educators from across the district’s four high school regions, reflecting the community’s demographics and and representation on local civic, child-centered and educational organizations. The board conducted an initial round of interviews with selected candidates during an executive session March 3. 

 

Community Input

To successfully lead the school district, the next superintendent must be a good fit for not only the students and staff, but for families and the entire Eugene community. To enable this, the search firm and school board are providing multiple opportunities for community members to share their priorities for a new leader. 

Community Survey

A short survey was offered to all 4J students, families, staff and community members from December 2-16, 2024. The survey asked about district priorities and key attributes of a new superintendent, to help shape the recruitment and selection of candidates. The district received 1326 responses.

Focus Groups

In November 2024, the School Board invited students, families, staff and a variety of community members to apply to attend focus groups run by the search firm, to provide key characteristics and priorities for a new superintendent. Group participants were chosen by lottery and met through December 13, 2024. A total of 154 people in 33 different focus groups shared their thoughts.

Following the completion of the community survey and focus groups, the search firm developed participants’ priorities for superintendent qualities into the New Superintendent Criteria. The initial list of the key attributes a new leader should have was presented to the school board at a work session Jan. 8. The board made edits after hearing public comment, and adopted the standards at its meeting on Jan 15. Thank you for helping bring this process to an important milestone.

Community Engagement Panels

On March 10, 2025, finalist candidates met virtually with three community panels that included 39 total students, parents, staff and community members representing a wide range of lived experiences and perspectives in the 4J and Eugene communities. These confidential panels gave feedback to the consultant on how each finalist measured up to the community-informed superintendent criteria.

Next Superintendent Criteria

 

Next Superintendent Criteria | Available in PDF format

Poised for growth and transformation, Eugene School District 4J seeks an experienced, passionate, innovative leader committed to shaping the future of education for the community's children, and who embodies the following characteristics and skills, each of which are vital for our district to thrive:

  • Visionary, Strategic and Effective Leadership – an accomplished leader with the demonstrated ability to articulate a bold, future-focused plan, including strategic actions to drive the plan, that ensures measurable improvements, strong learning outcomes, and prepares students for their futures
  • Student-Centered – focused on putting students first, seeking and responding to student voice, and making decisions that measurably improve their well-being, academic outcomes, self-advocacy, and sense of belonging
  • Dedication to Equity and Inclusion – an established track record of addressing systemic inequities, dismantling barriers, and fostering an inclusive environment for all, including BIPOC, LGBTQ2SIA+, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and newcomers; has led efforts to create accessible environments, improve literacy and achievement gaps, and prioritizes voices with lived experience
  • Transparent and Authentic Communication – a responsive communicator who cultivates trust and respect by engaging stakeholders with honesty, clarity, and active listening; committed to providing clear and straightforward rationale behind decisions
  • Collaborative Leadership – fosters teamwork and partnerships, seeking input and attentively listening to ensure all voices are heard and considered; accomplished at shaping policies and initiatives that are born of collaboration, cultivating strong working relationships with and across employee groups and setting all staff up for success
  • Special Education Knowledge and Expertise – a track record of strong advocacy for the wellbeing of students, incorporating the expertise of lived experience; proven leadership that fosters the success of effective, evidence-based special education programs, services and inclusive practices
  • Demonstrated Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills – a critical thinker who can manage daily operations in a complex organization, address challenges, and maintain a sharp focus to make informed decisions and ensure accountability; exhibits both the courage to stand by difficult decisions and the willingness to course correct when required
  • Approachable, Visible, and Empathetic – consistently exemplifies compassion, understanding diverse perspectives, and supporting the social and emotional well-being of students and staff; engages with staff, students, families, and community partners directly to build trust through personal connection
  • Advocate for Innovation and Creativity – known for embracing new ideas, promoting innovation, valuing joyful learning, and supporting creative solutions to enhance educational practices; a record of advocacy for resources and funding, allocating resources to meet student and staff needs
  • Longevity and Stability – committed to building stability and continuity by prioritizing sustained leadership, valuing and cultivating relationships, and becoming actively immersed in the extraordinary Eugene community

Search Process

The logo for Human Capital Enterprises, featuring a shield with three people and the tagline 'Redefining Human Resources Leadership'.

On October 16, the school board unanimously voted to select Human Capital Enterprises the firm to support 4J’s search for its next permanent superinntendent. Over the past decade, Human Capital Enterprises has established ourselves as one of the most respected superintendent search firms in the United States. Although focused in the Pacific Northwest where the firm is best-known, its associates have served school boards as far away as Virginia and Maryland to the east, and California and New Mexico to the south. 

Learn more about Human Capital Enterprises

The school board has set an aggressive but achievable timeline for hiring a new superintendent. The search firm and school board will engage the community about their hopes for the attributes and qualities of a new superintendent in late fall 2024. Then the firm will recruit and screen candidates nationally from the end of 2024 into early 2025. Finalists are expected to interview in spring 2025, with a new superintendent hired in late March or early April. The incoming superintendent may then work with the interim superintendent and staff on preparation and transition, with the new superintendent formally starting on July 1, 2025.

 

Next Superintendent Criteria

Poised for growth and transformation, Eugene School District 4J seeks an experienced, passionate, innovative leader committed to shaping the future of education for the community's children, and who embodies the following characteristics and skills, each of which are vital for our district to thrive:

  • Visionary, Strategic and Effective Leadership – an accomplished leader with the demonstrated ability to articulate a bold, future-focused plan, including strategic actions to drive the plan, that ensures measurable improvements, strong learning outcomes, and prepares students for their futures
  • Student-Centered – focused on putting students first, seeking and responding to student voice, and making decisions that measurably improve their well-being, academic outcomes, self-advocacy, and sense of belonging
  • Dedication to Equity and Inclusion – an established track record of addressing systemic inequities, dismantling barriers, and fostering an inclusive environment for all, including BIPOC, LGBTQ2SIA+, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and newcomers; has led efforts to create accessible environments, improve literacy and achievement gaps, and prioritizes voices with lived experience
  • Transparent and Authentic Communication – a responsive communicator who cultivates trust and respect by engaging stakeholders with honesty, clarity, and active listening; committed to providing clear and straightforward rationale behind decisions
  • Collaborative Leadership – fosters teamwork and partnerships, seeking input and attentively listening to ensure all voices are heard and considered; accomplished at shaping policies and initiatives that are born of collaboration, cultivating strong working relationships with and across employee groups and setting all staff up for success
  • Special Education Knowledge and Expertise – a track record of strong advocacy for the wellbeing of students, incorporating the expertise of lived experience; proven leadership that fosters the success of effective, evidence-based special education programs, services and inclusive practices
  • Demonstrated Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills – a critical thinker who can manage daily operations in a complex organization, address challenges, and maintain a sharp focus to make informed decisions and ensure accountability; exhibits both the courage to stand by difficult decisions and the willingness to course correct when required
  • Approachable, Visible, and Empathetic – consistently exemplifies compassion, understanding diverse perspectives, and supporting the social and emotional well-being of students and staff; engages with staff, students, families, and community partners directly to build trust through personal connection
  • Advocate for Innovation and Creativity – known for embracing new ideas, promoting innovation, valuing joyful learning, and supporting creative solutions to enhance educational practices; a record of advocacy for resources and funding, allocating resources to meet student and staff needs
  • Longevity and Stability – committed to building stability and continuity by prioritizing sustained leadership, valuing and cultivating relationships, and becoming actively immersed in the extraordinary Eugene community
  • April 1, 2024 — Colt Gill’s first day as interim superintendent
  • October 16, 2024 — School board selects Human Capital Enterprises as search firm for permanent superintendent
  • December 2-16, 2024: Online Community Survey
  • December 3-12: Community Focus Groups
  • December 20: Candidate recruitment window opens
  • January 8, 2025: Revised superintendent criteria presented to school board 
  • January 15, 2025: School board considers approval of superintendent criteria
  • February 10, 2025: Candidate recruitment window closes
  • February 26, 2025: School board reviews slate of candidates in executive session
  • March 3, 2025: First round of candidate interviews with the school board in executive session
  • March 10, 2025: Finalist candidate interviews with confidential community/staff/student panels
  • March 13-17, 2025: Finalist candidate interviews with school board in executive session
  • Late March/early April 2025: Selection and public announcement
  • March-June 2025: Transition planning with new superintendent
  • July 1, 2025: New superintendent formally begins work in 4J

  • The logo for Human Capital Enterprises, featuring a shield with three people and the tagline 'Redefining Human Resources Leadership'.

    On October 16, the school board unanimously voted to select Human Capital Enterprises the firm to support 4J’s search for its next permanent superinntendent. Over the past decade, Human Capital Enterprises has established ourselves as one of the most respected superintendent search firms in the United States. Although focused in the Pacific Northwest where the firm is best-known, its associates have served school boards as far away as Virginia and Maryland to the east, and California and New Mexico to the south. 

    Learn more about Human Capital Enterprises

  • The school board has set an aggressive but achievable timeline for hiring a new superintendent. The search firm and school board will engage the community about their hopes for the attributes and qualities of a new superintendent in late fall 2024. Then the firm will recruit and screen candidates nationally from the end of 2024 into early 2025. Finalists are expected to interview in spring 2025, with a new superintendent hired in late March or early April. The incoming superintendent may then work with the interim superintendent and staff on preparation and transition, with the new superintendent formally starting on July 1, 2025.

    • April 1, 2024 — Colt Gill’s first day as interim superintendent
    • October 16, 2024 — School board selects Human Capital Enterprises as search firm for permanent superintendent
    • December 2-16, 2024: Online Community Survey
    • December 3-12: Community Focus Groups
    • December 20: Candidate recruitment window opens
    • January 8, 2025: Revised superintendent criteria presented to school board 
    • January 15, 2025: School board considers approval of superintendent criteria
    • February 10, 2025: Candidate recruitment window closes
    • February 26, 2025: School board reviews slate of candidates in executive session
    • March 3, 2025: First round of candidate interviews with the school board in executive session
    • March 10, 2025: Finalist candidate interviews with confidential community/staff/student panels
    • March 13-17, 2025: Finalist candidate interviews with school board in executive session
    • Late March/early April 2025: Selection and public announcement
    • March-June 2025: Transition planning with new superintendent
    • July 1, 2025: New superintendent formally begins work in 4J